WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — The Ministry of Justice is expected to open two justice centres in Western Jamaica today.

Justice centres are being established to coordinate the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) activities in the respective parish and are expected to facilitate improvements in the way in which justice is delivered.

Apart from the training of justices of the peace (JPs) in alternative dispute resolution and restorative justice, the public will also be able get information from the centres.

The first centre in the west opened this morning in a renovated space at the Savanna-la-Mar Post Office in Westmoreland, while the other is scheduled to take place this afternoon in Falmouth, Trelawny.

Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck said he will also be visiting two prospective locations for the establishment of a centre in Lucea, Hanover following the opening of the centre in Savanna-la-Mar.

“We are looking at two sites in Hanover to see if either of them can be a justice centre,” disclosed Chuck.

 “We really want sites that are not only attractive, but central so that the citizens can easily access it and will want to access then. Because we hope to put a lot of facilities in these justice centres, including free Wi-Fi so people can go there and get free information and also connect with the world.”

Two centres are currently in operation, one in Buff Bay, Portland and the other in St Ann’s Bay, St Ann.

The opening of the two centres today forms part of efforts by the ministry to rapidly establish offices in all 14 parishes.

Within the next month, two more centres will be opened, one in Manchester and the other in St Mary.

Clarendon, St Elizabeth, and St Andrew are expected to follow.

Anthony Lewis