Skip to comments.
Jamaica: Justice system going to the dogs ("almost in shambles")
The Jamaica Gleaner ^
| April 24, 2007
| Barbara Gayle
Posted on 04/24/2007 12:32:48 PM PDT by Stoat
Justice system going to the dogs published: Tuesday | April 24, 2007 Residents protesting outside the Mandeville Courthouse in Manchester last year. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter JAMAICA'S JUSTICE system is deteriorating fast; indeed, some would say it's almost in a shambles. Problems prevail from the Resident Magistrates' Courts to the Circuit Courts, from the Gun Court to the Coroner's Court, to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, from the jury service to essential support services. The system is being hamstrung by backlogs, staff shortages, the lack of up-to-date equipment and technologies and basic resources, and there is now the need for out-of-the-box thinking to bring its operation into the 21st century and earn it the confidence of the Jamaican people. At this, albeit the 11th hour, the Government is taking steps to rescue it by way of comprehensive reform. The process began in September 2006 and is projected to reach a critical stage in June 2007 when a modernisation plan to transform the system will be decided on, based on recommendations from a 28-member Jamaican Justice Reform Task Force, assisted by a Canadian advisory committee of justice reform experts. The next step will be the implementation, or to be more accurate, summoning up the political courage and providing the wherewithal to get the job done, by translating the recommendations into tangible actions and changes which will benefit the nation as a whole, especially the poorer citizens, many of whom now see justice as a stream flowing past them and out of their reach. A massive backlog of cases in courts islandwide and its twin problem, inordinate delays in getting criminal and civil cases tried "within a reasonable time", have been dragging the justice system down these last several years, but not much has been done to seriously tackle the problems. This has resulted in some accused persons in criminal cases languishing in jail for up to three years, in some instances, and complainants, witnesses and jurors having to attend court time after time without the trials seeming to inch one step closer. And all too often, complainants and witnesses become frustrated to the point of refusing to return to court. In extreme cases, especially at the preliminary inquiry stage at the Resident Magistrate's Court, it's not unusual for witnesses in gun murder cases to give depositions, only to be murdered even before the case is sent for trial in the Home Circuit Division of the Gun Court. And there are cases in which witnesses are killed even before the preliminary inquiries begin.
|
|
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: courts; criminals; jamaica; justice; law; travel; traveladvisory
1
posted on
04/24/2007 12:32:53 PM PDT
by
Stoat
To: Stoat
The loss of Rule of Law makes Jamaica a prime target for takeover by the local thugs (Chavez and Castro).
To: rasta
"No worries, man"
3
posted on
04/24/2007 12:35:18 PM PDT
by
beeber
(stuned)
To: Stoat
Pity the poor tourist who goes to Jamaica these days.... a very dangerous place.
To: Stoat
Babylon make a dem in fi Jamdown bow.
5
posted on
04/24/2007 12:39:20 PM PDT
by
wideawake
To: Stoat
Maybe Prince Buster will make a comeback.
"Hush up! Order in the court! I am from Ethiopia and my name is Judge Hundred Years. Some a dem like to call me Judge Dread!
"I hear that the rudeboys shooting down the black people in Sutton Street say that 'Rudeboys don't care!' Well I am going to set a example!"
6
posted on
04/24/2007 12:42:41 PM PDT
by
wideawake
To: FormerACLUmember
You don’t see those “Come to Jamaica” ads anymore !
7
posted on
04/24/2007 12:44:35 PM PDT
by
Mears
To: wideawake
Babylon make a dem in fi Jamdown bow.
Whut you say, mon?
8
posted on
04/24/2007 12:55:07 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: FormerACLUmember
The loss of Rule of Law makes Jamaica a prime target for takeover by the local thugs (Chavez and Castro).Agreed....being a foreign national trapped in a banana republic, and on an island no less, during a coup or leftist takeover is a nightmare that I have no wish to experience.
9
posted on
04/24/2007 12:57:55 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
The corruption of the Rastafarianism-defying state (Babylon) makes those (make a dem) in my (in fi) poor, oppressed Jamaica (Jamdown - Jamaican slang playing on Jamaica as “jammed down” by colonialism and oppression) succumb to injustice (bow).
To: Mears
With all this talk of GW, why bother? In another year, we’ll have Jamaica-like beaches in Kansas.
To: FormerACLUmember
Pity the poor tourist who goes to Jamaica these days.... a very dangerous place.The State Department has yet to issue a travel advisory on Jamaica as they have for Haiti....perhaps it's time?
12
posted on
04/24/2007 1:08:27 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: wideawake
The corruption of the Rastafarianism-defying state (Babylon) makes those (make a dem) in my (in fi) poor, oppressed Jamaica (Jamdown - Jamaican slang playing on Jamaica as jammed down by colonialism and oppression) succumb to injustice (bow).WOW! Thank you for the translation :-)
13
posted on
04/24/2007 1:12:35 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
Jamaica? It now takes seven years to get a civil trial date in Massachusetts’ Worcester County.
To: wideawake
Maybe Prince Buster will make a comeback. "Hush up! Order in the court! I am from Ethiopia and my name is Judge Hundred Years. Some a dem like to call me Judge Dread!
"I hear that the rudeboys shooting down the black people in Sutton Street say that 'Rudeboys don't care!' Well I am going to set a example!"
According to his Wikipedia bio, Prince Buster was a convert to Islam. I don't know what the Muzzie population is in Jamaica, but a near-collapse of essential social infrastructure as outlined in this article might leave the door open for a support of sharia law if there is enough support for it there.
15
posted on
04/24/2007 1:23:26 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
Hmmm . . . I didn't know that. Bizarre.
Muslims are probably less than 0.5% of the Jamaican population.
To: pabianice
Jamaica? It now takes seven years to get a civil trial date in Massachusetts Worcester County.That's inexcusable in the USA, but it appears to be the normal state of affairs throughout the entire nation of Jamaica. Fortunately, there are lots of other vacation destination opportunities.
One of the best vacations I've ever had was to the Cayman Islands. Great scuba diving, friendly, courteous people and no sense of any out-of-control crime problems.
17
posted on
04/24/2007 1:30:35 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: wideawake
Muslims are probably less than 0.5% of the Jamaican population.That's good to hear....it sounds like they have their hands full with problems as it stands and the last thing they need is a militant Islamic population as well.
18
posted on
04/24/2007 1:33:53 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Stoat
Muslims are probably less than 0.5% of the Jamaican population.
Rasta's are not all that great either.
19
posted on
04/24/2007 2:07:21 PM PDT
by
showme_the_Glory
(No more rhyming, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
To: Stoat
Muslims are probably less than 0.5% of the Jamaican population.
Rasta's are not all that great either.
20
posted on
04/24/2007 2:07:23 PM PDT
by
showme_the_Glory
(No more rhyming, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson