The Editor, Sir:

On September 25, you carried an advertisement by the Ministry of Justice in which the public is being advised of the revocation of the Official Seal of a Justice of the Peace. By this action, one must presume that the Justice in question has been struck off the list of JPs, and is, in fact, no longer a Justice of the Peace.

The ad merely states that the holder in question was the holder of Official Seal No. B00317. No further information is provided, not the name of the person, nor even the parish in which he/she was formerly a JP. In my opinion, the public is entitled to know the name and the parish in which this individual was once a JP, especially when considering that the office of Justice of the Peace is a public one which carries great responsibility, and assumes great trust in such an individual holding the title. A JP can try cases in court, can sign official documents, and can carry out many other important public functions.

The appointment procedure

Interestingly, when persons are appointed to this highly-esteemed office, the appointment procedure is a public one and the individuals are normally well known throughout the parishes in which they serve. Many, once appointed, are known to be JPs, and the question must be asked as to how the public would be expected to know that they no longer serve in that office if such an announcement was not also publicized including the name/s of the particular individual.

For such a person to have been recommended by the Custos of the parish to be struck off the list of JPs would seem to indicate a very serious breach of trust or other misdeed to warrant such drastic action. It being a public office, I think that the public is entitled to know the name and parish of appointment of any such person so that not only will justice have been served but will have been manifestly seen to have been served.

I am, etc.,

PHILIP A. AZAR

5 Marescaux Road, Kingston 5