With an increasing demand for access to information online, efforts are underway to have all of Barbados’ laws available digitally.

Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite, said the Improved Access to Justice Project (IMPACT), was currently working with officials to ensure the laws were updated and available to all citizens.

Mr. Brathwaite noted at present, 617 statutes, 740 pieces of subsidiary legislation, and 549 annuals prepared in 2009/2011 were already converted.

The Attorney General explained that the key components of the project were the further development of Caricom legislation; legal periodical literature; treaties and improvements to the Carilaw database; and assistance to law libraries of the University of the West Indies and the Universities of Guyana and Suriname.

“We are seeing more and more hits on the website, which is consistent with the average person paying more attention to what is happening within the legal sphere and they want to have quick and easy access to information,” Mr. Brathwaite stated.

However, he told the librarians present that there will always be a role for them to play in ensuring that the vast amount of knowledge was passed on.

Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson also noted that law librarians would continue to be a resource of information, particularly for new students. However, he urged them to continue welcoming technological advances and facilitate the move from paper to password. (JRB/BGIS)