Dear Editor,
The justice system in Jamaica has been deemed as very slow and tardy, to say the least. Despite this, judges work under tedious and difficult conditions to deliver justice. Judges cannot speak to the media about the conditions that they face and often employees of the court are silent about the conditions that they work in to administer justice.
With the lack of judges being appointed at both the parish courts and high courts, due to financial constraints by the Government, judges and court staff have to work overtime in trying to administer justice the best way they can.
A present situation facing the St Mary Parish Court has spilled over to affect the neighbouring St Ann Parish Court. One of the judges in St Mary is on leave, which left the senior parish judge to balance that judge’s civil, criminal, traffic, and petty sessions list, along with her own court list since early July. It is important to note that, since August, the senior judge has been assisted by several other judges from other parishes who have taken over duties for the judge on leave. The end point of all of this is that several cases are delayed and pushed back for trial or hearing. And this situation has spilled over into St Ann, as one of the parish’s judges will be working in St Mary for September. This has left St Ann with two judges and other cases being delayed there.
If there were more judges appointed, the citizens and judges would not have to suffer from these chronic situations facing the courts. Judges do get tired and are seriously overworked.
It takes a real brave judge to work especially at the St Ann’s Bay courthouse building. A new courthouse is greatly needed in the parish. I hope that the minister of justice can look into the horrible situation facing the courts, including the lack of enough judges and the inadequate infrastructure. It is not enough to tell judges to dismiss cases that are five years old or commit cases quickly to the high courts by getting rid of preliminary inquiries.
Tasheka Alexander
Port Maria, St Mary
tasheka2alexander@gmail.com
The justice system in Jamaica has been deemed as very slow and tardy, to say the least. Despite this, judges work under tedious and difficult conditions to deliver justice. Judges cannot speak to the media about the conditions that they face and often employees of the court are silent about the conditions that they work in to administer justice.
With the lack of judges being appointed at both the parish courts and high courts, due to financial constraints by the Government, judges and court staff have to work overtime in trying to administer justice the best way they can.
A present situation facing the St Mary Parish Court has spilled over to affect the neighbouring St Ann Parish Court. One of the judges in St Mary is on leave, which left the senior parish judge to balance that judge’s civil, criminal, traffic, and petty sessions list, along with her own court list since early July. It is important to note that, since August, the senior judge has been assisted by several other judges from other parishes who have taken over duties for the judge on leave. The end point of all of this is that several cases are delayed and pushed back for trial or hearing. And this situation has spilled over into St Ann, as one of the parish’s judges will be working in St Mary for September. This has left St Ann with two judges and other cases being delayed there.
If there were more judges appointed, the citizens and judges would not have to suffer from these chronic situations facing the courts. Judges do get tired and are seriously overworked.
It takes a real brave judge to work especially at the St Ann’s Bay courthouse building. A new courthouse is greatly needed in the parish. I hope that the minister of justice can look into the horrible situation facing the courts, including the lack of enough judges and the inadequate infrastructure. It is not enough to tell judges to dismiss cases that are five years old or commit cases quickly to the high courts by getting rid of preliminary inquiries.
Tasheka Alexander
Port Maria, St Mary
tasheka2alexander@gmail.com