[UPDATED] Judges not happy with reason given for cut in courts' online services

Online services at the Judiciary were “cut as a pre-emptive measure” is the explanation given by the Judiciary for Wednesday’s shutdown of its digital services, which stopped work at courts across the country.

There was a similar unplanned shutdown last weekend, Newsday was told.

This week, service was restored early on Thursday morning. Newsrooms received a one-line e-mail at 3.05 am, which said: Restoration of Disrupted Judiciary Online Services: The Judiciary wishes to advise that on July 12, 2023, it cut its online services as a pre-emptive measure. The online services have been restored.”

Judges, masters, registrars, and magistrates received a similar message one-line e-mail at 3.23 am. By Thursday morning, the Judiciary’s website and e-mail networks were back online.

But from as early as 6 am, judges expressed their disapproval.

A senior appellate judge asked, “Pre-emptive of...?”

A senior High Court judge was more vocal.

“For the entire day, judges were left in the dark, not knowing what to do about trials, lists, trying to figure out how to record proceedings if they decided to go on with their hearings, unsure about what to tell staff who were denied access.

The judge said they got nothing but e-mails forwarded from a source that was not identified, and there was no public announcement or apology to the public: “No notice as to special arrangements for persons who were deprived of access for bail hearings and who will have to wait, none to the judicial officers whose schedules were thrown off three weeks before the end of term.”

The judge was critical of what they said was an “attempt at an explanation which confirms that this was deliberate.

“This is scandalous and given that the ‘forwards’ were saying there was no update, hardly credible.

“Judges have become used to the lack of transparency and the general disrespect, but a decision to shut down operations without warning and without regard for the impact on people indicates that we have reached a new low.

“It is simply unacceptable.”

The Judiciary’s media release was posted on its Facebook page at around 11 am.

On Wednesday, staff were told they would not be able to access official e-mail or their computerised calendars “until further notice.”

The Law Association also told its members about the disruption of the Judiciary’s digital service, since many attorneys complained they could not file documents for their cases.

The Judiciary’s website was unavailable and e-mails were returned with an error message.

Some virtual court hearings after that time were said to be affected when the virtual system shut down unannounced.

Judges complained of not receiving information from the Judiciary’s administration, and had to contact attorneys by telephone and WhatsApp to reschedule cases for next week.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, said investigations were under way into a recent cyber attack on his ministry. He said he could not comment while the investigations were taking place.

Last Friday, the Ministry of Digital Transformation revealed there had been an attack on the AG's ministry and that action was being taken to minimise the threat.

It is not certain if Wednesday’s disruption is linked to last week's cyber attack on the AG's Office. Attorney General.