Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Lack of equity in the administration of justice, outdated laws and poor administration in local courts were some of the weaknesses cited as major problems in the Jamaican justice system.

The problems were placed on the table on Thursday at the first public consultation on the reform of the Jamaican justice system at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

While the event was poorly attended seemingly because of poor publicity and the holding of a cricket match at Sabina Park, members of the public who attended were very forthright in identifying the problems in the justice system.

On the issue of poor administration, one disgruntled mother told her ordeal in trying to get child support from her child?s father who lived in the United States. She said the local system was unable to give her updated reports on where her case was.

?It took almost one year for the documents to be sent overseas. My child?s father lives in Florida,? she said. ?I found along the way that the system that is in place now does not facilitate accessing information on where exactly the (court) order is and how to access information in terms of what is going on.?

She said while the case had been resolved she found that there were additional, problems with the system in terms of getting the funds from overseas, which she said took two months to clear because it is sent through the mail and not electronically.

Aston Anderson, a disgruntled unemployed driver from St. Mary, said there was no equity in the justice system. He told of his experience where he lost his drivers? license because he had no insurance for his car.

Probation officers at the public consultation also raised the issue of equity in the system when two juveniles are caught involved in sexual acts and the boys are usually taken to court and charged while the girls are not charged.

Frank Gordon, trade unionist and community activist said that the problem with the court system was that many of the laws being administered were outdated and were in need of serious overhaul.

The consultations, which will continue until April, are expected to assist the Justice System Reform Task Force in identifying regional problems, challenges and opportunities in the justice system to reform the system.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com