National policies need to be developed to address the social and economic systems affecting the country's marginalised citizens, Dr. Carolyn Gomes, executive director of lobby group, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) said Monday night.

According to Dr. Gomes, the challenges faced by these "marginalised individuals" include dreadful roads, long distances to travel to access educational opportunities and health care or social services.

"Policies to address these weaknesses tend to be developed without adequate consultation with those most affected and whole sectors of the society, particularly the rural poor and the economically deprived living in inner-city ghettos in Jamaica," Dr. Gomes said.

The JFJ head was speaking at the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Kingston East held at Morgan's Harbour, Port Royal.

Human Rights

She spoke out against the lack of respect for human rights in Jamaica.

Dr. Gomes said,"This underlying lack of respect coupled with issues of lack of accountability at all levels of Jamaican society; unresolved issues of the role and function and duty of the various parts of that society; and issues of how to bring meaningful action to bear on our increasing crime rate, economic and social stagnation and the increasingly ineffectual justice system, affect how we perceive our difficulties and how we resolve them."

To this end, she said focus should be placed on accountability at all levels of the justice system, regardless of the social class of an individual.

The human rights activist pointed out that the failure to modernise and reform the country's justice system is a result of the unconscious or conscious class, colour and tribal paradigms.