Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter
SEVERAL of the island's Justices of the Peace (JPs) have been relieved of their positions for abusing their office.
This has been confirmed by the Lay Magistrates' Association which represents them, although the association was unable to say how many of them have been fired.
Their chief crime, according to the association, is charging fees for their services, while the Registrar General's Department (RGD) says some have affixed their signatures to documents which have turned out to be fraudulent, a violation of their Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office.
"There have been abuses," confirmed Renford Shirley, president of the Lay Magistrates' Association. "The most common one is charging for their services and that is wrong. And where there have been abuses, after the matter has been investigated, there have been terminations," Mr. Shirley said last week.
According to him, on a daily basis, he is bombarded by individuals asking for documents to be signed. In many instances, he said, he is being asked to sign for persons he does not know. "In the area where I work (Allman Town) what we ... encounter almost on a daily basis, is that individuals who we know are coming to us with documents to sign on behalf of other persons who we do not know. I am not signing anything for anyone who I do not know," he emphasised.
Former president of the Lay Magistrates Association Clover Thompson also admitted to violations among some JPs, but she said this was not widespread. "Yes, custodes have asked JPs to hand in their commissions because of malpractices," she said last week.
Issuing a warning to current and future JPs, Ms. Thompson said, "If you are appointed and you know you will not be able to uphold the integrity of the office, it is better not to accept, than to accept, and then charge fees to offset expenses."
Custos of St. Catherine Gladstone Lewars also spoke of JPs who were prostituting the profession. "It is very difficult to find and dismiss some of the persons who are abusing their office. The parish custodes have to investigate the allegations," he said.
Executive Director of the Registrar General's Department (RGD), Dr. Patricia Holness, who is also a JP, said that her office has seen signatures of JPs on documents which have turned out to be fraudulent. "I think that some are not being as careful as they should when signing documents. They need to examine the documents they are signing very carefully before doing so," she noted.
She pointed out that the RGD has been called in several instances for verification of documents, which have been reportedly signed by JPs but which, on closer examination, turned out to be fraudulent. According to her, there are instances where documents have been reportedly signed overseas, but witnessed by persons claiming to be JPs who are in Jamaica.
...URGENT NEED FOR YOUNG BLOOD
There is an urgent need for young blood to energise the ageing Justices of the Peace (JPs) community across the island.
The Lay Magistrates Association, the umbrella organisation for JPs, said that there is an urgent need for young persons of high integrity to be drafted into the service.
Both current and former presidents of the Lay Magistrates' Association, Renford Shirley and Clover Thompson respectively, pointed out that the Ministry of National Security recognises the need for younger persons to serve as JPs.
Mr. Shirley said last week, "there is a need for young energetic persons to serve. You see, at age 75, JPs can no longer serve in the courts. It is not an insult to the JPs, but they need to be alert, to hear evidence in the courts and, they need the energy to travel around to carry out their duties." He pointed out too that the responsibilities of JPs have increased over the years.
While the average age of JPs could not be ascertained last week, many individuals are appointed after reaching 50 years or over. Mr. Shirley said, however, there was a younger group in training.
Similarly, former president Clover Thompson said, it was a fact that many JPs are old and that there was the need for younger persons. Again, citing that the removal from the Bench was not meant to disrespect, she said, "there is a need for young, decent and interested Jamaicans to become JPs, who can stand up to the rigorous duties of being a JP."
Speaking at a function earlier this month, National Security Minister K.D. Knight urged the custodes to recommend not only persons over 60, but more young persons in their 30s. The Minister noted that many young persons were now showing the potential for leadership, adding that "they must become role models for their peers who are given to errant behaviour".
