Justice Ministry Gets Two Additional Mobile Units

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) will receive two new mobile justice units from the Canadian Government on January 29.

The 2020 buses, which will be handed over at the Ministry, in Kingston, have each been retrofitted with Internet access. They are air-conditioned units with a 14-seat waiting area.

“We are thankful to the Canadian Government, which has always partnered with the Ministry of Justice to improve our justice services,” Executive Director of the Legal Aid Clinic, Hugh Faulkner, told JIS News.

Mr. Faulkner highlighted that the two new units will support the Ministry’s thrust to provide a justice centre in all parishes.

“The units will increase our capacity to visit the eight justice centres across the island. We will have scheduled visits to these parishes where persons can receive, free, a consultation with a lawyer on legal matters. Lawyers can also be assigned during these consultations,” he said.

Mr. Faulkner noted that the Legal Aid Council, through its services, assists many Jamaicans who come in contact with the justice system.

During the 2018/2019 Fiscal Year, 100 communities were visited by the current mobile justice unit.

“Many Jamaicans are with an excellent defence, but they are without the resources to prove their innocence. When we assign lawyers to our fellow citizens, we go the extra mile. If a specialist, such as a DNA expert, is needed to prove the person’s innocence, then we will hire that person,” he shared.

Since its launch in 2017, some 4,124 persons have received assistance from the existing mobile justice unit.

The three mobile units will help the Justice Ministry to fulfil its mandate of improving access to justice for everyone, particularly those in rural and inner-city communities.