Defence attorney Peter Champagnie - file photo
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Peter Champagnie
Defence attorney Peter Champagnie has presented a solution to the juror shortage which has been affecting the ability of courts to try some cases in a timely manner.
Justice Minister Delroy Chuck recently lamented that it was extremely difficult to find jurors, especially in parishes outside of Kingston and St. Andrew.
He said Jamaicans are fearful of serving as jurors and so the government is looking to end the need for jury trials.
But Mr. Champagnie has stated his opposition to the Government's plan to do away with the jury system.
He said the answer to the problem lies in using an updated jury list and expanding the field of persons who are eligible to serve as jurors.
In addition, he suggested that while court houses are being refurbished, consideration be given to the safety of jurors to ensure there is no interaction between themselves, members of the public or the accused.
Mr. Champagnie said removing some career fields from the exemptions list is also another solution.
"When you look at the qualification, a number of persons have been excluded. When I looked at it some time ago, for instance, vets are not permitted to sit. Now I don't see the basis for that, and there are certain persons within the civil service that are not allowed to sit; and I believe that those exemptions should not be," he complained.
He was speaking Tuesday morning on TVJ's Smile Jamaica programme.
A number of measures have been put in place by the Ministry of Justice to fix the shortage including, fines for jurors who refuse to attend court after being summoned.
The Gun Court Act is also to be amended to permit a judge alone to try a firearm offence involving non-capital murder.
It has been revealed that the jury list currently being used in the court system has not been updated in at least 12 years.
Prospective jurors are selected from the voter's list.
Tamsyn Bailey, Deputy Registrar in the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court, said registered taxpayers were included on a list when the Jury Act was amended in 2015. However, this list is not being used.
Ms Bailey, who was also a guest on TVJ's Smile Jamaica on Tuesday morning, outlined that the Ministry of Justice is working to implement a jury management system at the Supreme Court to encourage persons who are summoned to show up for jury duty.
Low turnout
Meanwhile, High Court Judge Glen Brown expressed his displeasure at the low turn out of jurors for the start of the St. Elizabeth Circuit Court which opened on Monday.
Of the 114 jurors served, only 25 turned up for jury duties.
Justice Brown said the poor showing highlighted the need for the Government and the Ministry of Education to re-introduce Civics as part of the curriculum of schools.
Justice Brown argued that this would give students and young adults the chance to better understand the functions of the justice system.
He said students would also be given the opportunity to attend a court to observe its operations.
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