effort to free up the justice system.

Draftsmen are hard at work putting the final touches to new legislation that will give various Government departments the power to hand out penalties for different offences.

It will mean that offenders, if they accept the offence and punishment, will not have to go to court to have their case heard.

That will unclog the Magistrates' courts and dramatically reduce the workload in the Director of Public Prosecutions' offices.

The first hint that the law is imminent came in the recent Throne Speech, which said: "Legislation to allow the automatic payment of fines for speeding offences up to 62 km has been drafted and is currently being studied''.

That sector alone could remove hundreds of offenders a year from the notoriously clogged traffic court sessions.

Many of the new powers come under the Prosecution of Offences Bill, which has been in the making for over 18 months.

Police, Marine Police, dog wardens, park rangers, environmental health and other Government departments will be able to issue tickets for summary offences.

It will likely mean that offenders, once they have been issued with tickets, can either accept the fixed penalty and pay up, or challenge it in the courts.

It is understood the bill is far advanced in the Attorney General's Chambers and could be put forward during the Spring session of the House of Assembly.

The legislation was due in 1998 but was put on hold after the PLP took power.

COURTS CTS