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There is now greater incentive for companies to invest in the redevelopment and renewal of urban areas, with the passing of the Urban Renewal and Tax relief Amendment Act, by the House of Representatives on November 23. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw who piloted the Bill, said that investors had become "frustrated with the vagaries...

The Ministry of Justice is developing a National Child Diversion Policy that will establish and sustain a justice system in which the best interests of the child is paramount and the rule of law is maintained. This initiative is a part of the National Plan of Action on Child Justice being spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice. The Implementation and...

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has committed funding of more than JMD $22 m toward the implementation of the National Child Protection Programme spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice. The funding will go towards capacity building for the judiciary, resident magistrates, prosecutors and clerk of courts, and other individuals involved in child justice, to uphold the rights of child...

The time given to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament to review the Protected Disclosure Bill, often referred to as the Whistleblower Bill, has been extended to November 19. Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Senator Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, made the announcement Friday (October 29), as the Senate resumed sitting after a lengthy break. The committee was originally scheduled to complete...

Persons in Montego Bay and its environs seeking legal information are being encouraged to attend a Legal Aid Day on Saturday, September 25, at the Montego Bay Civic Centre Dome, commencing at noon. Executive Director of the Legal Aid Council, Hugh Faulkner, explained that while indepth advice will not be available, persons will get information on a variety of subjects...

Six judges were sworn in today (September 10), to take up various positions in the high courts, by Deputy Governor-General, Hon. Dr. Gilbert Allen, during a ceremony at King's House. Mrs. Justice Norma McIntosh was sworn in as a Court of Appeal Judge, effective September 10. With effect from September 16, Mr. Frank Osbourne St. Martin Williams, Ms. Carol Christine...

Some 30 counsellors and volunteers attached to the Victim Support Unit (VSU) islandwide commenced a two day training workshop aimed at equipping them to better assist child victims and witnesses who have to appear before the courts. The workshop, which is being held at the Knutsford Court Hotel from September 8th to 9th, forms part of the Children in Court...

The Ministry of Justice, through its Restorative and Community Justice (RCJ) Unit, has trained 98 additional persons as Restorative and Community Justice Facilitators, as part of the initiative to improve the justice system. The training workshop was held from August 23 to 26, at the Shaw Park Beach Hotel and Spa in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. Justice Reform Co-ordinator, Beverly...

The time given to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament to consider the Protected Disclosure Bill, commonly known as the Whistleblower legislation, has been extended to the end of September, 2010. This was disclosed in the Senate, on July 16, by Minister of Justice and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne. "The committee has been very...

The Senate, on Friday July 9, passed an amendment to the Jury Act to allow for majority verdict in non-capital cases. It provides that, in cases where the sentencing options do no include the death penalty, no less than nine members of a 12-member jury may return a verdict. Minister of Justice and Leader of Government Business, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne,...

President of Guyana, His Excellency Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has reminded that CARICOM states have recourse through the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), to fight trade barriers that negatively affect regional producers. "You have this situation where in a single economic space, some producers may be getting their inputs cheaper or more subsidies more than others, so their goods become more...

The Emergency Powers Review Tribunal began its hearings yesterday (June 28), at its official location at 2D Camp Road, in Kingston. The Tribunal was appointed by the Government to review cases of detention and restriction of citizens by the security forces under the current state of emergency in the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Chairman of the...