Grenada's judicial system follows British colonial common law but has not adopted the modern legal protections used in the UK. This leaves citizens to rely on expensive litigation to enforce fairness, while individuals, public and private institutions operate largely unchallenged. Citizens face significant disadvantages, with limited access to remedies when exploited or treated unfairly.

We call on the Government of Grenada, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to: 

• Implement a Small Claims Court to provide quick, affordable, and enforceable access to justice by January 2027.
• Create an office to call independent lawyers to the Legal Bar to enable citizens to hire qualified foreign lawyers when confidence in local lawyers is low, ensuring access to justice.

Citizens face serious barriers to justice, including:

• High legal costs – Citizens face common disputes such as faulty workmanship, illegal boundary changes, loss of property, tradespeople accepting payment without completing the agreed work, service interruptions, property damage, theft, unpaid work/service, and other similar claims, where going to court can cost as much as the claim itself (e.g., $1000 to recover $500) with little or no chance of actually recovering damages.
•  Conflicts – efforts to recover money are met with violence, while others feel forced to take matters into their own hands.
• Online and social media abuse - private images shared without consent, defamation, slander, libel and even tragic images circulated before families are notified. Yet, there is still no affordable way to seek justice, despite electronic/data laws.
• Limited access to independent lawyers – Caribbean/Independent lawyers face barriers to being called to the Bar to represent citizens when confidence in local lawyers is low.
• Case backlogs and delays – courts take a long time to resolve disputes, causing prolonged uncertainty and stress.

A Small Claims Court could provide a practical solution:

• Types of claims – lower-level civil/criminal matters with simple claim forms and procedures.
•  Operates within existing court or temporary/pop-up court as a fast-track system.
• Claims up to EC$10,000 with low filing and hearing fees.
•  Citizens may represent themselves or instruct a lawyer if desired.
• Court awards must be meaningfully enforced, effective, timely, and proportionate: A fixed repayment period or short payment plan, interest on judgment debts and enforcement escalation if payment is avoided.
• Enforcement should escalate through wage deductions, asset seizure or sale, and other proportionate measures to ensure court awards are paid.

Most small claims currently never reach court.  This reform would bring new cases into the system and generate revenue through filing fees.

 Let us support our Government and our People - Please sign the Petition