THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with interest an article in The Gleaner of Wednesday, May 26, captioned 'Duties of Justices of Peace' explained. I was shocked to read the third paragraph which stated in part, "though JPs are required to perform judicial functions, they are not necessarily legally trained."
As a recently-appointed Justice of the Peace, who has only just completed a course in Justice Administration for Justices of the Peace, which spanned a period of six months, I must query the source of this information.
Training of Justices of the Peace to enable the discharge of judicial functions in Petty Sessions courts, on licensing panels, and in juvenile courts takes place at the Justice Training Institute on South Camp Road. Workshops are currently led by Mr. Noel B. Irving who is also author of a Manual written for the guidance of Justices of the Peace. In fact, Mr. Irving has been providing this training for the Ministry of National Security and Justice since 1994.
It is therefore also not required practice as contended in the article, for the Clerk of Courts assigned, to "advise the JPs on the law and the extent of their powers."
I do hope that this letter will stimulate a proper enquiry on the role, function and training of the island's Justices of the Peace; information which I am sure Mr. Irving would be happy to provide and from which the public could benefit.
I am, etc.,
ELAINE COMMISSIONG,
JP
