. No clear management structure with accountability and responsibility;
. No clear reporting structure with regular channels of communication between the various constituencies;
. No adequate performance measurements; no objectives and minimum planning beyond day to day procedure matters;
. Poor understanding, implementation and innovation in the use of information technology;
. A fragmentation of administrative systems between each of the courts;
. Minimum training and development of staff, identification of needs, job description or performance standards for staff to follow;
. A lack of professional management to support any of the above requirements in the current structures;
. Cumbersome structures for responding to initiatives for change;
. An apparent remoteness of the administrative system from the judiciary;
. An inadequate organisational relationship between the Department of Justice and court staff resulting in a lack of basic empowerment or decision making;
. A lack of structures to enable responsiveness to the views of court users;
. A lack of financial information on the courts available in an understandable format;
. A lack of statistical information on the courts;
. No annual reports;
. No strategic plan;
. A lack of dignified and adequate courthouses;
. No information service to the public.
SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS:
. Establish, by statute, an independent, permanent body to manage courts;
. The body, described as Courts Service should consist of a board, chief executive officer and staff;
. The Courts Service would:
. manage the system;
. prepare its own budget for submission to the Minister for Justice;
. manage its own budget;
. provide secretarial and research services to the judiciary;
. provide administrative back up;
. establish a communications system between staff and judges;
. provide a public information service; and provide manage and maintain suitable court buildings.