The government has announced that the cadre of 50 resident magistrates will be increased to 70. There is a backlog of 400,000 before magistrates courts - equal to one case for every seven citizens on the island with its population of 2.7 million. Although the news was welcomed by George Soutar, president of the Advocates' Association, he raised another question in a comment to the Jamaica Gleaner: 'But where are they going to put them?'

Many steps needed

Another lawyer, Lloyd McFarlane, said: 'I am pleased that this is being done because it is one of the many steps needed to deal with the backlog of cases.' The  Jamaica Gleaner gives the example of a complainant in a criminal case in St Catherine who had to attend court 29 times over a period of seven years.