Manchester Lay Magistrates Association Commended

The members of the Manchester Lay Magistrates Association have been commended for their contribution to the administration of justice in the parish.
“This chapter has been exemplary and within the past 10 years, you have had no fewer than five recipients of the Golden Scale award, which is the highest award from the national body to Justices of the Peace (JPs), who have served faithfully,” said President of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica, Calvin Lyn.
Mr. Lyn, who was addressing a function to honour the lay magistrates held recently at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, urged the members to be prepared to meet the challenges that will come under the justice reform agenda.
“It is important that we hold the office with integrity, and we are ready for the expanded role that we will play,” he stated.
Custos of Manchester, Gilbert Allen, also lauded the achievements of the justices. “Your leadership of publishing the first directory of Justices of the Peace and the effectiveness of your zoning system have not gone unnoticed,” he pointed out.
Custos Allen informed that he had sent a list of 71 new JPs for the parish to the Ministry of Justice, and “soon, they will be commissioned.”
Under the Justice Reform Programme, JPs will be called on to play a greater role in the court system, in terms of arbitrating on disputes that do not involve criminal offences. They will be assisted by trained staff and prosecutorial services.