Above: TTIFC’s Financial Inclusion Specialist, Mrs. Shanaz Mohammed explains the impact of CoutPay on rural communities to the Ministry of Finance, Treasury Division in December 2023. Photo courtesy TTIFC.

The Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago marked the seventh anniversary of the CourtPay system, the country’s first and only national online payment system for court-related transactions.

The event, convened at the Innovation Center of the TT International Finance Center noted that the service, which has processed hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions with a 99.9 per cent uptime is the most reliable government digital payment system currently in service.

“Originally developed by local fintech company WiPay to handle child maintenance payments, CourtPay now supports a wide range of court-ordered obligations including fines, filing fees, and attorney licensing,” a press release from the TTIFC stated.

“With features like online card payments, top-up vouchers available at over 1,000 NLCB Lotto booths, and bank account debits, CourtPay offers full accessibility—even to unbanked citizens.”

*A photo call at the 7th Anniversary event. Photo courtesy TTIFC*.

“CourtPay represents what’s possible when innovation meets national purpose,” said John Outridge, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre (TTIFC).

“As we look ahead, platforms like this will not only modernize public services, but redefine the relationship between citizens and the state. We see this as the foundation for a truly digital nation—one where technology works for everyone, everywhere.”

The Judiciary, for its part has consistently promoted the platform not just as a technological tool, but as a national enabler of access.

During Covid-19 restrictions, the system came into its own as the Judiciary itself moved the court system to virtual platforms, where some aspects of its operations are still successfully executed.

CourtPay is more than a system— for the Judiciary, which considers it to be a solution, a means to enhance efficiency, transparency, and access to justice.

“CourtPay has widened the public’s ability to engage with the court system, especially during the pandemic and in rural or underbanked area,” the Judiciary noted in the TTIFC press release.

“Citizens are now empowered to fulfill court obligations from anywhere, at any time, without navigating complex bureaucracy or physical court visits.”