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Ground was broken in Lucea yesterday (February 18) for the construction of a modern family court, fully equipped with technology and amenities consistent with a state-of-the art facility. The courthouse will be located on Watson Taylor Drive in the Hanover capital, at the site of the old family court, which was demolished to make way for the new structure. The...

I am indeed saddened to learn of the recent passing of retired Court of Appeal Judge, The Honourable Justice Edwin Horatio Watkins, Q.C., Ph.D. who died on February 1st in Miami Florida. Justice Watkins was in his ninetieth year. Mr. Justice Watkins was an eminent jurist who attended St. Simons College and after attaining Higher Schools Certificate he attained the...

Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, has said that the practice of restorative justice will bring back calm, safety and unity to communities by peacefully resolving unrest that is caused by minor offences. "We have to use other methods of resolving our conflicts. We must move away from violence and retribution and move towards community reconciliation, equipping our...

Four more senior judges and a registrar were appointed to higher offices, Tuesday (February 9) by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon Sir Patrick Allen, during a brief ceremony at King's House. Sworn in were: Justice Norma Elaine McIntosh, appointed to act as Judge of the Court of Appeal; Glenworth Gaylord St. Elmo Brown, appointed as Puisne Judge of the...

Justice Minister and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, has emphasised the need for the society to find alternative ways of resolving conflicts and delivering justice, other than resorting to violence. Speaking at the launch of the Restorative and Community Justice Pilot Project in Granville, St. James, at the Sam Sharpe Teachers' College, earlier this week, Senator Lightbourne lamented the high...

Hanover will have a new Family Court building in another seven months, as a plot of land located on Watson Taylor Drive in the town of Lucea was handed over to contractors Thursday (February 4) for construction of the facility. The construction cost and furnishing of the facility will be underwritten by the European Union (EU) to the tune of...

About 55 "at risk " teenagers from inner-city communities in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Clarendon, participated in a Restorative Justice Focus Resocialization Workshop, at Morgan's Harbour Hotel, Port Royal, on Wednesday (February 3). The exercise formed part of activities marking Restorative and Community Justice Week. It is being observed January 31 to February 6, under the theme, "Making...

Northern Caribbean University (NCU) hosted a symposium on Restorative Justice on Wednesday (February 3) on the university's campus, Mandeville, Manchester. Held under the theme: Restorative and Community Justice: Making Jamaica the Place of Choice to Live, Work, Raise Families and do Business", it sought to showcase how Restorative Justice can influence conflict resolution in communities and the spin-off benefits to...

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) expects that four violence-prone communities, which are to be used as pilots for the Restorative and Community Justice initiative this year, will be better and safer at the end of the 24-month period. The four communities selected are Granville, St. James; May Pen, Clarendon; Spanish Town, St. Catherine; and Tower Hill, in the Corporate Area....

"Restorative and Community Justice: Making Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business," is the theme for the celebration of Restorative and Community Justice Week, which starts Sunday, January 31 and ends Friday, February 6. Coordinator of Justice Reform at the Ministry of Justice, Beverley Little, disclosed that, during the week, two pilot Restorative and...

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved funding of $1.9 billion (US$21 million) for the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) to continue its initiatives and interventions geared towards reducing the level of major crimes and interpersonal violence, for another four years. This was disclosed by Minister of National Security Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson, during his contribution to the...

The Minister of Justice, Senator Hon. Dorothy Lightbourne, has refused the request for the extradition of Presley Bingham to the United States. The Minister refused the request after hearing submissions from the attorneys representing Mr. Bingham and the Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the United States government. In making her decision, the Minister said she took into consideration...