Justices of the Peace Urged to Become Mentors for Vulnerable Children

Custos Rotulorum for the parish of St. Andrew, Hon. Dr. Patricia Dunwell, is urging the new Justices of the Peace (JPs) for the parish to help to prevent child abuse by becoming mentors for vulnerable children in their communities.

She argued that through these mentoring relationships, children are more likely to report cases of abuse or neglect so that corrective action can be taken.

“As Justices of the Peace, we are leaders and we have great influence in our communities, so we need to become mentors for these children. Let us, as Justices of the Peace, pledge to break the chain of abuse against our children,” she added.

Dr. Dunwell was addressing the commissioning service held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on June 14.

She saluted the 32 new appointees and reminded them that being a JP “is an opportunity to reach beyond self and serve communities” with integrity.

Meanwhile, Director/Principal of the Justice Training Institute (JTI), Karen Campbell-Bascoe, told the JPs that they will have a critical role to play in the operation of the justice centres that are to be set up across the island.

The justice centres will coordinate the alternative dispute resolution activities in the parishes.

“We’ll call on you soon as we move towards introducing and re-energising alternative dispute resolution mechanisms within our communities,” Mrs. Campbell-Bascoe said.

“We’ll be calling on you to assist us in the area of mediation and restorative justice, and the JTI will be asking the Custos for names of persons to serve in these areas,” she noted further.

During the commissioning ceremony, tribute was paid to the recently slain Maxine Simpson, who would have been sworn in as a JP for St. Andrew.

Ms. Simpson was described as “eager to learn and to serve her community”.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by Chief Judge of the Parish Courts, Judith Pusey; and President of the Lay Magistrates Association of St. Andrew, Hon. Marigold Harding; as well as family and friends of the new JPs.