Lay Magistrates Association blasts corrupt JPs

The Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ) has condemned the action of some of its members in St James who have been providing recommendations for individuals that they don't know.

The association is also supporting calls for law-enforcement agencies to target justices of the peace (JPs) who run afoul of the law in an effort to rid the system of corruption.

Reacting to a Sunday Gleaner expose, where at least three JPs were found to be operating contrary to their sworn oath of office, the Errol Greene-led group also called on its members to be firm in their stance by refusing the request to offer a recommendation to strangers.

Betrayal of the oath

According to the LMAJ, such behaviour is a dereliction of duties and a betrayal of the oath of office that lay magistrates take.

"The LMAJ strongly condemns such action as this is a clear breach of the code of conduct for the office of the justice of the peace," the association said in a release.

"The LMAJ has also joined with the Minister of Justice (Delroy Chuck) in his call for the police to engage in sting operations when reports are made of justices of the peace acting outside of the code of conduct.

"As a body that is geared towards fostering the best behaviour for those who took an oath to uphold the office of justice of the peace, the LMAJ is calling on all well-thinking and law-abiding citizens to begin to expose these justices of the peace."

It added: "The LMAJ is also calling on custodes to immediately take action against deviant justices of the peace who are failing to uphold the highest standards of the oath they took."

A Sunday Gleaner probe found JPs operating from the Transport Authority post in the Montego Bay Transportation Centre, signing documents, including recommen-dations for persons they did not know.

While these JPs were not following several others who illegally charge for their services, they are accepting "a contribution" if offered.