Justice CommitteeWritten evidence from Gonul Ekmekci
I am sure you’ve already received much information on this subject, therefore I am only writing a few lines to avoid repetition.
I’ve been working as a proffessional public service interpreter for many years up until 12 January. I stopped attending magistrate and crown courts as a result of ALS being granted contract.
The previous system had it’s weak points. A court list office staff would phone individual intepreters for every single case where an interpreter was required. They would then pay individual cheques to each interpreter whose services was used.
The solution to this inefficiency was very simple: a call centre. One already existed, having set up by APCI (Assoc. of Police and Court Interpreters. Also several interpeter organisatins offered the MInistry of Justice to form one in collaboration with them but the suggestion was refused.
I will not work for ALS as they have been completely disregarding our qualification and professional regulations (DPSI-Law and registration aspect).
September 2012