Justice Kay Beckford inspects a Police Guard of Honour yesterday in front of the Supreme Court, downtown Kingston to mark the official opening of the Michaelmas session. She is being escorted by Deputy Superintendent Devon Fields (on her right) and Superintendent Claude Wilson (behind) and Canon Weeville Gordon, Custos of Kingston (partly hidden). Rev. Carmen Stewart, Custos of St. Andrew, also attended the ceremony. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer FACED WITH a trial list of 107 murder cases and 57 others involving sexual offences in the Michaelmas session of the Home Circuit Court yesterday, Justice Kay Beckford could not hold back her disgust with the 'coarse' behaviour of Jamaicans which she believes is behind the rising crime rate.
"Each and everyone must bear responsibility for what is happening and what has happened in terms of crime in our country," the judge said.
She said people had forgotten what it is to be civil and those who are civil are considered to be weak. She said coarseness is the norm in the society.
POINT FINGERS
"People in the society must take responsibility, we cannot point fingers at anyone in society, everyone must bear the burden of what we see before us today", she added.
It is the judge's view that a lot of what is happening in the country is caused from the fact that a lot of Jamaicans abdicate responsibility to others. She emphasised that it is the duty of everyone in the country to join together to see that justice is done.
Justice Beckford made an impassioned plea for those who have knowledge of crimes being committed to give information to the proper authority.
She made the call shortly after she declared open the new session which was marked with a colourful ceremony in front of the courthouse on King Street, downtown Kingston.
The judge criticised those who contributed to the demoralisation in the society and emphasised that when "we lose self respect, we lose everything and cannot have respect for others." She said further "that a lot of us caused demoralisation and like a pebble thrown into the water it spreads and spreads and every word we utter break or make this country."
It is a view that has been echoed by Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips.
On Monday, Minister Phillips said that it is important for
Jamaicans "to re-enforce our resolve as a country, and as individuals as part of the citizenry of the country, to do whatever is necessary to overcome the present challenge." He was addressing a meeting of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North at the Hilton Hotel, New Kingston.
The Security Minister was making reference to the rapidly escalating murder rate that has gripped the country in recent times. The murder rate, he said, is now "on par" with the comparative time period last year.
Kathy Pyke, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, in outlining the number of cases for trial this term, described the list as a formidable one. She called on the public to assist in locating witnesses who for various reasons were not attending court. She pointed out that they would continue to publish notices in the newspapers in an effort to locate witnesses. She called on the public to assist in locating the witnesses. She said that could be done in various ways, one of which was by calling Crime Stop.
OBJECTIVITY
Attorney-at-law Linton Gordon, in pledging support on behalf of the private Bar in disposing of the cases, said that despite the escalation of violence, objectivity should be maintained in dispensing justice. He described the list as formidable and said he hoped there would be speed in disposing of the cases.
The trial list for this term has 187 cases, of which 48 are new cases. The other cases were traversed from the previous term. There are 96 cases of non-capital murder, 11 cases of capital murder and 57 sexual offence cases.
