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MANCHESTER

No charge, but unpleasant service

Published:Sunday | April 17, 2022 | 12:07 AM

The justice of the peace urged those who take on the role of a JP to remember selflessness in service and not to use their title as a symbol of power over any citizen.
The justice of the peace urged those who take on the role of a JP to remember selflessness in service and not to use their title as a symbol of power over any citizen.

MANDEVILLE, Manchester: Several residents in the parish of Manchester dread a visit to a justice of the peace (JP) as such encounters sometimes leave them feeling disregarded and often disrespected. And The Sunday Gleaner experienced this during a...

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

Several residents in the parish of Manchester dread a visit to a justice of the peace (JP) as such encounters sometimes leave them feeling disregarded and often disrespected.

And The Sunday Gleaner experienced this during a recent undercover probe into the practices of the public servants, who were commissioned to serve their fellow citizens free of charge and with integrity.

During our visits to a number of JPs, many declared their unwillingness to sign documents for persons they don’t know, while others used their discretion depending on the nature of the document, but very few were kind and accommodating.

One JP actually shared with The Sunday Gleaner that he, too, has experienced the scant regard shown by some of his colleagues, having sought their services to notarise documents.

“I waited for a JP for two hours and after the two hours, the man jumped in his vehicle and drove off. Another man told me to wait because he was busy playing dominoes. So I know when people complain about how they are treated, they are not lying because I witnessed it at first hand,” he said.

The JP, who requested anonymity, said they are a stain on the office, making it bad for those who serve with civic pride.

“This is one of the reasons I became a JP – to serve and to treat people with respect. Because of that, a group of us now has a lot of people who come to us because they appreciate how we operate. We can’t do everything for everyone; we still have to be careful, but even those we can’t sign for, we treat them with respect,” he said.

He urged those who take on the role of a JP to remember selflessness in service and not to use their title as a symbol of power over any citizen.

DISMISSIVE AND COLD

The experiences varied at the seven JP offices The Sunday Gleaner team visited in Manchester; however, generally, while those who were available indicated there was no charge for any service offered in their capacity as a JP, a few sourly accommodated the request to certify a document.

The first JP was not in office on the two occasions the team visited and his assistant indicated that he had left minutes before our arrival.

The second was very dismissive and cold in his approach, declaring that he would not be leaving what he was doing in his place of business to sign a document.

He later requested an identification card, enquired of the purpose of the document, signed it, handed it back and non-verbally indicated that was the end of the process by pointing to the door.

Another JP visited was just as unpleasant, indicating that he would not sign anything until he had finished eating, even though he was not yet told of the services being sought.

Two other offices were visited at noon, but the JP assistants said the very tight window for signing was closed and would reopen the following day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

As the probe continued, The Sunday Gleaner soon learnt that not all JPs meet with those for whom they are signing documents; instead, an assistant collects the documents and necessary information from persons, takes it to the JPs to be notarised and then returns and hands them back to the individual.

The final JP The Sunday Gleaner sought the services of was shocked when asked if there was a charge.

Pointing out that the service was free of charge, he indicated that he does not usually sign documents or give recommendation for persons he doesn’t know; however, he exercises discretion and sign documents for individuals associated with persons known to him.

editorial@gleanerjm.com