Hanover set to get justice centre

WESTERN BUREAU:

The plan to establish a justice centre in Hanover is said to be still on the front burner, despite a halt in implementing the project as a result of the onset of COVID-19 and other logistical issues, which are now being dealt with.

The Gleaner has been reliably informed that lands for the building of the centre have been identified in Sandy Bay, in the eastern section of the parish, and the design for the building is currently being worked upon.

When the project was first announced by the Ministry of Justice, it was revealed that funding for the project was to come from the European Union (EU), with the Jamaican Government making an input.

Justice centres have already been established in the western parishes of St Ann, Trelawny, and Westmoreland, with the plans for St James and Hanover on the table.

With the building not yet ready, the Ministry of Justice has put facilities in place in Lucea for the delivery of some of the services that are usually offered at the justice centre. Since May 1, a restorative justice office and a child diversion office have been operating out of office space in the parish capital.

DAMPENED PLANS

Vanessa Davis, manager of the restorative justice facility in Lucea, told The Gleaner that the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica has put a damper on the plans for the justice centre, but a campaign is now on to inform the public about the services being offered at her office.

Davis pointed out that the space being occupied now is not large enough to offer all the services of a fully equipped justice centre and is just offering restorative justice and child diversion services.

“I do court visits, we do walk-ins, we do referral from churches, schools, the police, just about anybody who knows of conflicts and knows of the service and tell people about it, we take them anyway,” said Davis.

Hanover’s custos, who is slated to have an office at the justice centre when it is officially established, told The Gleaner that as far as he knows, the plans for establishing the centre is far advanced.

While he has no difficulty with the current situation as it relates to the current arrangement with the restorative justice and child diversion offices in Lucea, the custos is hoping that, ultimately, all the services will be on offer from one location.

“In terms of meeting the needs of the people, the service is needed, so it is put in place. But I am hopeful that when the justice centre is built, it will have accommodation for all of those services,” said Stair.

The Gleaner has subsequently learned that the mobile unit of the Legal Aid Clinic will be making regular visits to the facility now established in Lucea, with its first planned visit set for this Wednesday.