THE ministries of national security and justice, under the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Citizen Security and Justice Programme, on Monday presented computers and audio-visual equipment valued at US$40,063 (J$2.4M), to agencies which fall under both ministries.

The beneficiaries were:

. the Kingston and St Andrew Family Court
. the Western Regional Family Court which covers the parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland;
. the Police Public Complaints Authority (PPCA);
. the Victim Support Unit and its Strategic Planning Division.

The presentations of the desk- and laptop computers, along with overhead projectors, were handed over to the four agencies' representatives by the justice ministry's permanent secretary, Carol Palmer, on behalf of Justice Minister A J Nicholson.

The donated items are a part of the thrust towards greater efficiency within the island's justice system.

The agencies that fall under the national security ministry got the lion's share of the equipment, worth US$25,000, with the remainder divided among the other departments.

"The family court, especially, does a lot of training and parenting seminars, so all of this is to augment (their operations) and also to make them do more efficient presentations," said Palmer while handing over the equipment.

Resident magistrate and senior judge for Kingston and St Andrew, Rosemary Neile-Irving, expressed delight in accepting the equipment on behalf of the court.

"There is no doubt that with this (computer), we will be able to access information very rapidly; information as it relates to the payment of maintenance to the times when orders come to an end," she said.

"The equipment that we are using now is just old ledgers."
The main objectives of the Citizen Security and Justice Programme is to prevent and reduce crime and violence, strengthen crime management capabilities and improve the delivery of judicial services.

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