High Court Judge Justice Nazhat Shameem has stressed the need for reforms in the criminal justice system to ensure access to justice for all and that justice is delivered in a timely and fair manner for all citizens.

While addressing the delegates at the Attorney General's conference in Sigatoka this afternoon, Judge Shameem stressed that the rule of law is meaningless when a large sector of our population cannot gain access to the criminal justice system without a lawyer or without the confidence which comes with education.

She said you have a greater chance of obtaining justice if you are wealthy and or articulate and victims of crime relay on the police force and prosecutors to represent their interests and if they are not able to lay their complaints or are persuaded not to by cultural or financial constraints, they cannot be said to enjoy equality before the law.

Judge Shameem said it is often mistakenly said that equality before the law means treating everyone in a uniform way but she does not agree as she believes that equality is an aim to be achieved, something that does not exists in our society because it is made up of groups, some of whom are disadvantaged.

She has stressed the need for the courts to give effect to special measures to the vulnerable to ensure equality of access to justice and of the application of the law. She said there are no existing laws in Fiji to enable access to justice for all disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.