MINISTER of Justice Delroy Chuck says he welcomes the decision of justices of the peace (JPs) and lay magistrates to work together in determining how to share court duties.

The minister made the point during a speech to both parties attending the recent Annual Awards Banquet of the St Andrew Association of Justices of the Peace at AC Hotel Kingston on Lady Musgrave Road, St Andrew.

According to Chuck, over the last two years there has been some resistance from lay magistrates to the appointment of JPs to serve in the country’s petty session courts. However, he said that having seen how well-organised the St Andrew Association is, he had decided that all the parishes should follow their example and have their own associations, an action which has managed to reduce the tension between both groups of officials.

“So over the last two years, despite a bit of resistance from the lay magistrates, we have been able to forge a strong relationship between the Lay Magistrates Association and the parish JPs associations,” he informed the audience of lay jurists and their guests.

JPs had expressed the belief that the specialised training they received to serve as lay magistrates would greatly enable them to assist in reducing the backlog of cases in the courts.

About 40 JPs from Kingston and St Andrew were trained in the justice ministry’s ongoing efforts, through the Justice Training Institute, to boost the capacity of the Lay Magistrates’ Courts by, among other things, strengthening the JPs’ capabilities to improve service delivery in their communities.

Chuck said that while it was difficult and challenging to get agreement between the two parties, the tension was reduced with the entrance of a new president of the LMA, businessman Trevor Heaven, who encouraged cooperation between lay magistrates and JPs towards forging a stronger relationship between both parties, in the process.

Heaven informed the minister that the lay magistrates had decided that it would be better to work closely with the JP associations, rather than encourage a division between both bodies.

“I will be meeting with the association very shortly to see how best the lay magistrates can be properly incorporated within the JPs’ associations in all parishes because, as I said to them, if the JPs cannot get on with the [job] it would be like they have failed,” he stated.

Chuck said there are more than 2,000 JPs in St Andrew. There has been speculation that there are between 6,000 and 9,000 JPs across Jamaica. However, he explained that there are parishes with 200 or fewer JPs

But Chuck insisted that, despite the limited number of JPs, they have been split up into zones, which are meeting regularly,

“Not only to work with the police but to see what sort of community work they can do because JPs, believe me, you are the most eminent, some of the most prominent, and some of the best citizens that Jamaica has,” the minister said.

He said he acknowledged that they have to protect their vocation because there are a few members “who are really tainted”, some of whom will have to be removed from the service.

“But in general, 99 per cent of our JPs are acting not only uprightly, but are beacons in their communities, and I am asking you to continue to be the voice of reason, of civility, of decency, right across the neighbourhoods that you serve,” he urged them.

He added that he had no doubts the JPs will be more active, not only in helping the alternative justice services but also in providing the leadership the communities need in working closely with police, “because if we do that, then we can help to make Jamaica a better place”.

Chuck, meanwhile, congratulated the 36 JPs who were honoured at the function which was held under the distinguished patronage of the custos of St Andrew, Ian Forbes.

Other specially invited guests included: Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, KC; former Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown; and former Custos of St Andrew Marigold Harding.