Jamintel building at the corner of Duke and North Street, Kingston. - Norman Grindley/Acting Photography Editor

The old Jamintel building on Duke Street, downtown Kingston, which the Jamaica Constabulary Force was eyeing for its new headquarters, could soon be transformed into the Corporate Area Traffic Court.

The Family Court and Coroner's Court could also be relocated to that facility.

All this will be realised if Justice Minister and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne has her way.

The minister made the revelation on the weekend while addressing a meeting of the Lay Magistrates' Association at the Holy Childhood High School.

"...The old Jamintel building which is large and has a lot of land, I have approached the prime minister, and it is actively being considered that we could have that building and we could, in fact, house there the Traffic Court, the Family Court, because some of you know the Family Court also at Duke Street is inadequate," Lightbourne said. "We will house there the Traffic, Family, Coroners Court and all the attendant offices," she added.

Seeking land

The minister also revealed that the Government was actively seeking land in the downtown Kingston area to establish a justice square.

The concept, according to Lightbourne, is to create more courtroom space in a central area.

"If you check everywhere all over the world where crime has increased, what they have done is increase the courtroom space and increase the (number of) judges," Lightbourne said.

The minister informed the audience of the plans to acquire the entire area around the Supreme Court, the Jamintel building and the Public Building, where the Court of Appeal is now located.

The National Commercial Bank, which is adjacent to the Supreme Court, will be acquired as part of the plans.

The Public Building, which is situated west of King Street, now houses a post office, the Accountant General's Department and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Stand-alone building

Lightbourne wants the DPP's office to be a stand-alone building. A bridge will link the DPP's office with the Supreme Court.

Alternative accommodations are being sought by the ministry to house the other offices.

As it relates to justices of the peace, the minister said they were not being utilised enough. "We need to use you more in the courts so that you can free up the resident magistrates," she said.

Lightbourne also expressed disappointment with the slow pace at which the Justice Training Institute was moving to train JPs to be lay magistrates.

"You should be having more training courses, I keep calling and saying I want to see the plans and I am not really seeing it," she said.