New JPs For St. James Encouraged To Show Strong Leadership
By: , March 11, 2021
Photo: Jermaine Stewart
Custos of St. James, Bishop Conrad Pitkin (seated, left), and former Chief Justice of Jamaica, Hon. Seymour Panton (seated, right), are joined by newly commissioned Justices of the Peace (JPs) for St. James during a swearing-in ceremony at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on March 5.The Full Story
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, has called on the 41 newly commissioned Justices of the Peace (JPs) for the parish of St. James to demonstrate strong leadership as they work to make their communities and country a better place.
“This is the beginning of your new role as community volunteers where we are expecting, as newly commissioned JPs, that you can be a leader that the community can start to view as a model citizen. It means that you must be a person of unquestionable integrity with unblemished character,” he said.
Minister Chuck was addressing the virtual swearing-in ceremony at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on March 5.
He urged the JPs to work with the Custos of St. James, Bishop Conrad Pitkin, in order to ensure that there “is one strong, single association that meets regularly, serves their communities and helps to bring about peace, justice, discipline, order and integrity right across the landscape of your parish”.
“So, I hope that each of you will give decades of service to improve and lift up Jamaica. We must work together to make Jamaica a better place,” he stressed.
Minister Chuck further charged the new batch of JPs to take advantage of additional training being provided to serve in the lay magistrates’ courts as well as participate in counselling, restorative justice and child-diversion initiatives.
Bishop Pitkin, in his address, emphasised the importance of JPs becoming actively involved in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of their communities.
He warned that at no point should JPs use their title to secure personal favour or financial benefits.
“You are to promote the principle of good governance and good citizenship. You must at all times act professionally, fairly, diligently and expeditiously in your duties,” Bishop Pitkin said.
“Being commissioned this afternoon is one of the most important decisions that you have made. You are being given the privilege and an instrument to serve your community and country,” he added.