Concern raised about inaccessible JPs

 

The Custos of St. Catherine has expressed concern regarding the increasing number of justices of the peace disappearing after being commissioned.

 

Custos Icylin Golding made the call on Wednesday during the commissioning of JPs.

 

According to Ms. Golding, many newly sworn in JPs are becoming inaccessible to the communities they were appointed to serve as they relocate to other parishes without informing the Custos.

 

Ms. Golding said the trend is contributing to a growing shortage. 

 

"Honestly, either they relocate, they change their numbers, for whatever reason, they cannot be located. And what this is doing, ladies and gentlemen, the area you are commissioned to will now be underserved. And that is creating a problem. All you need to do is just communicate with the Custos' office and we will try to fill that gap until you are settled elsewhere and all of that," she noted.

 

Responding to the concern, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck said all JPs ought to submit an annual report, but admitted that the submission has not been enforced for quite a while. 

 

"The 2018 JP Act demands that all the JPs send in an annual report to the Custodes. Now, regrettably, less than 60% of JPs actually send in the annual report. The Custodes have been insisting that we should decommission those who fail to send in the annual reports but we have not done so as yet. But it won't be long before we decide that unless you send in the annual report, so we know that you exist in the jurisdiction, then you may well be decommissioned," he declared. 

 

Mr. Chuck said JPs can serve outside of the parish where he or she was commissioned. But he suggested that they should inform their Custodes. 

 

According to the Justice Minister, there are 12,000 JPs.