A total of 305 children, aged 12 to 17 years, have been referred to the Child Diversion Programme since it was implemented in April last year. Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, who made the disclosure, said these referrals under the Child Diversion Programme, means “305 at-risk children have been given a second chance”. “This means… 305 children, who might...

Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., says the Government is seeking to redefine how urban renewal is undertaken across Jamaica. Delivering his 2021/22 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on May 4, under the theme ‘reNew Jamaica’, Mr. Charles Jr. noted that the engagement is “not a new idea”, as successive...

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says he will shortly bring to Cabinet a strategy for alternative dispute resolution in Jamaica. The strategy seeks to encourage potential litigants to mediate matters before they file cases in the Courts, which would eliminate the need for lengthy trials in those instances. “The Government will be doing its very best to ramp up...

Jamaica has access to a US$1.1-million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), to commence preparation of Jamaica’s first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for the current financial year. This announcement was made by the Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., during his 2021/22 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on May...

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says the Ministry would like to see definitive timelines for various processes in the Courts. “I believe that no matter in the Parish Courts should extend from filing to completion beyond 24 months, and I expect that 90 per cent of these matters should be completed within 12 months. We are getting there and...

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says that during the last fiscal year the High Courts began hearing matters electronically. Making his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 4, he informed that all hearings from the Court of Appeal are now conducted remotely using video and teleconferencing, and at the Supreme Court, bail...

A total of 1,006 new cases were assigned within the various divisions of the Attorney General’s Chambers for the period April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Attorney General, Marlene Malahoo Forte, made the disclosure during her contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (April 28). She noted that 398 cases were assigned to...