A major change to the way criminal trials are conducted could be on the way.
The Administration of Justice Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2026 proposes to abolish the practice of allowing an accused person to make an unsworn statement from the dock.
Under the proposed change, an accused who wants to give evidence would have to take the witness stand, where that evidence could be tested under cross-examination.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice, Michael Lashley, says the change must be seen as part of a wider effort to bring Barbados’ criminal justice system into modern practice.
The Minister says Barbados is not the only jurisdiction that has abolished the use of unsworn statements from the dock.
To further his point, Mr Lashley used the example of a child sexual assault victim.
He argues that victims can be required to give evidence and face cross-examination, while an accused person can currently choose to make an unsworn statement without being cross-examined.
