JPs Urged to Support Residents Impacted by Hurricane

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is urging Justices of the Peace (JPs) to provide counselling and support to residents in areas impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

“What would be nice is if you meet the residents [and] talk to them. Many of them need some counselling, some understanding, some guidance as to how they can recover,” he said.
Minister Chuck was addressing the recent commissioning of 27 JPs for the parish of St. Mary, held at the Cabarita Inn and Grill in Port Maria, where he reiterated the call for JPs to provide assistance in the ongoing assessment of damage to homes.

He noted that over the next couple of weeks, they will be asked to assist the Ministry of Labour and Social Security team in five to seven parishes.

“[There are] over 120,000 homes damaged. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security [is] overwhelmed,” Minister Chuck said, noting that the JPs will be trained before the undertaking.

He noted that the assessment of the affected parishes will guide how relief assistance is delivered.

“We consider you and all the JPs across Jamaica to be some of the most outstanding citizens of Jamaica and we expect that you can give back because you have lifted yourself to good standards,” Minister Chuck said.

Meanwhile, he charged the new justices to embrace integrity, humility and lifelong self-improvement as they take up the centuries-old, noble office.

“This is about integrity; it is about the rule of law; it is about voluntary service. It is about being the best you can be,” he said, underscoring the moral weight of the office of the JP.

Minister Chuck urged them to remember their training and challenged each JP to commit to personal growth, declaring, “today should be the beginning of the transformation of your life… become twice as good as you are now”.