On Wednesday 30 July 2025, the Honourable Mr. Devesh Maharaj, Minister of Justice (MOJ) and Minister in the Office of the Attorney General, hosted a courtesy visit from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), led by Resident Representative Mr. Ugo Blanco. The visit reaffirmed the strong working relationship between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the UNDP and explored opportunities for continued collaboration on justice sector initiatives.
Mr. Blanco was accompanied Ms. Isele Robinson-Cooper – UNDP Programme Officer for Inclusive Growth and Social Policy and Mr. Ganesh Rampersad – Project Officer for the Partnership of the Caribbean and European Union on Justice (PACE) Project. Also in attendance were Ms. Abigail Bynoe, Permanent Secretary (Ag.), MOJ, Mrs. Indira Rampaul-Cheddie, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Attorney General and Mrs. Farzana Nazir-Mohammed, Director, Legal of the Criminal Justice Unit, MOJ.
Discussions explored initiatives and strategic planning on necessary improvements for the criminal justice sector with particular focus on improving the efficiency of processing criminal cases at the through the UNDP PACE Project. The Minister of Justice identified key areas of focus including pathology and DNA processing at the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Centre (TTFSC), programmes to reduce youth offending, capacity building in criminal law for junior attorneys to strengthen state sector agencies, the formulation of targeted restorative justice approaches to reduce reoffending and improve the prison system, the identification of best practices to address current issues facing the justice sector and the urgent need to effect further legislative amendments through stakeholder collaboration to ensure the efficient implementation of new trial processes occasioned by the proclamation of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act, 2011 (AJIPA).
The UNDP expressed continued support to Trinidad and Tobago’s justice sector through funding key interventions aimed at upgrading technology and infrastructure, enhancing capacities of stakeholders and improving processes and procedures. The Minister of Justice reiterated the Government’s steadfast commitment to improving the criminal justice system for the benefit of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
