Trelawny custos announces plans to establish JP association for the parish
CUSTOS rotulorum of Trelawny, Hugh Gentles, has announced plans for a justices of the peace (JPS) association for the parish.
Currently, the parish boasts a lay magistrates association, but Gentles argued that all the justices of the peace will now be included in the new JP association.
In fact, president of the Trelawny Lay Magistrates Association, Hugh Grant, has consented to be the chair of the interim steering committee of the burgeoning Trelawny Justices of the Peace Association, Gentles disclosed.
“As you may know, the landscape is changing, we are moving towards establishing a strong and vibrant JP association that will represent the entire cohort of JPS for Trelawny. We have been meeting to get this new association started. Mr Kenneth Grant has kindly agreed to chair its interim steering committee,” Gentles announced.
He was delivering the keynote address during a recent virtual ceremony put on by the Falmouth zone of the Trelawny Lay Magistrates Association to honour 12 veteran justices of the peace in the Falmouth zone, who have rendered over 30 years of service.
The awardees include: Bruce Dale, Alex Henderson, Doreen Ho-sue, Edna James, Sylvia Jump, Geneive Leakey, David Muschett, Dennis Seiveright, Leon Spence, Edna Thomas, Millard Tracey, and Gloria Veira.
Gentles further explained to the Jamaica Observer West that the organisation will “just be a more inclusive association”.
“Once you are a JP you are a member of the association. Remember, everybody is a JP, but not everybody is a lay magistrate. And the lay magistrate will fall under the umbrella of the JP association. We have child diversion, we have restorative justice, we have a lot of other subcommittees that will fall under the JP association,” he explained.
Custos Gentles noted that, among other things, the newly formed JP association will seek to set up a benevolent fund “to help to support our JPS”.
“We have many exciting ideas that will help to support our JPS. For example, we plan to establish a benevolent fund to help JPS who have given sterling service but may find themselves on hard times or ill- health,” Gentles revealed.
Additionally, he expressed that under his tenure, he intends to award all long-serving JPS.