JPs Urged to Serve Without Fear Or Favour

State Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, has charged Justices of the Peace (JP) to serve with unquestionable fairness, ensuring that the justice they dispense is not selective and is rendered without fear or favour.

“It doesn’t favour the powerful, the privileged or the person dressed up and driving a fancy car over the poor or the weak. In a society striving for fairness, you must embody the principle in both your action and your attitude. If you’re stopped on the road by the police because you’re speeding, don’t flash out your JP identification and say, ‘you know, I’m a Justice of the Peace’. Justice is for all of us,” she said.

Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert was addressing the commissioning ceremony of 27 new JPs for Manchester at The Garden Hotel in the parish on Thursday (April 30).

She told the newly installed JPs that they have a responsibility that extends far beyond the signing of documents or the witnessing of affidavits, noting that they have a moral duty to stand as guardians of integrity, equity and human dignity within every community that they live and operate.

“There will be moments when your integrity is tested, moments where it may be easier for you to look away, to avoid getting involved or to remain neutral in situations that clearly demand moral clarity. In those moments, I urge you to remember just why you were chosen…; don’t overlook people and deny them their basic rights,” Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert said.

“You must be advocates for those who feel powerless, using your voice to encourage reporting, to support intervention and to guide victims towards the help they need. Silence in these circumstances can be damaging as injustice itself. Your role demands steadfastness in promoting justice in its widest sense,” she added.

She urged the JPs to act with courage and fortitude, always bearing in mind that “true justice never turns away. It stands up, it speaks out and it makes the difference”.

“Justice in its purest form is often symbolised by a blindfold that represents impartiality, but that blindness must never come from indifference. It must never be turned in a way from the harsh realities faced by those who suffer in silence. What good is justice if it doesn’t see the pain of the abused person, hear the cries of the vulnerable or respond to the injustices that erode so very often, the fabric of our society,” she said.

Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert said that as JPs, they are uniquely positioned at the intersection of law and community life and they have a role to play in the reduction of crime and violence in the society.

“You are often the first point of contact for citizens who seek guidance, reassurance and protection, and this is a position that requires courage. We cannot ignore the troubling reality that confronts us on a daily basis – domestic violence, spousal abuse and other forms of crime and violence that have too often escalated into tragedies in our society.

“Behind closed doors, in quiet communities, there are individuals – women, men and children – who endure suffering unseen and unheard. Justice cannot afford to be silent in such circumstances. So, you as JPs must be willing to speak out, not recklessly, not heartily, but with responsibility,” she said.