Justice Ministry and NIA Enter New Phase of Partnership

The Ministry of Justice and National Integrity Action (NIA) have entered a new phase of collaboration.

“We shall be supporting the implementation of the Child Diversion Act to include training of police officers and other agents in the justice system,” said the NIA’s Executive Director, Professor Trevor Munroe.

He said that the entity will also continue its drive for legislative reforms to strengthen the justice system framework.

He was speaking at a press conference at the Ministry’s Constant Spring Road headquarters on Friday (February 15).

Professor Munroe noted that the NIA will continue to support the sensitisation of Justices of the Peace (JP) and will facilitate a series of islandwide two-day training seminars to strengthen the capacity of JPs to properly administer justice through legislation and alternative dispute resolution.

He said that over 1,000 JPs will be targeted.

The NIA will be integrating restorative justice practices in its integrity clubs, which are being implemented in schools across the island in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

“We shall be expecting to produce awareness-building communication products, commercial advertisements so that the public becomes more aware of new developments, particularly in the area of alternative dispute resolution,” Professor Munroe noted further.

The NIA Executive Director said that the mandate of the entity since its launch in December 2011 remains to combat corruption in all its forms, to strengthen integrity at all levels and to enhance good governance in all sectors, particularly in the areas of transparency and accountability.

“Fundamental to the advancement of this mission is the justice sector and, therefore, part of our responsibility has been and remains to assist in making that sector more efficient and equitable in the service of the Jamaican people,” he noted.

“We are excited by this new phase of our longstanding partnership and our expectation is that the collaboration will contribute to greater levels of integrity in the justice system,” Professor Munroe said.