JAMAICANS will soon have fingertip access to a platform with information on all the laws that govern them, with Wednesday’s launch of the Jamaica Legal Information Portal (JLIP).

The portal was launched by the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs at AC Hotel in St Andrew. Portfolio minister Marlene Malahoo Forte said she was “beyond pleased to be leading this”.

The platform has an artificially intelligent helper called Garvey, and according to Malahoo Forte, the selection of that name was symbolic.

To access the platform, Jamaicans should log on to www.jlip.gov.jm.

“The digitisation of legislative instruments and documents, starting from the present and going back to previous centuries, and making that information available for public access on a website is a significant aspect of the government’s broader digital transformation programme. Just one click can do the trick. When the JLIP is fully operationalised, it will not only significantly reduce the time and effort used to locate legal documents, it will also serve as a platform for public engagement for law reform issues, helping to shape legal proposals through citizen input and that is what a republican form of Government is all about, putting the people at the centre of it so all the dots are connected to it. When I tell you that you must embrace the journey to Jamaica becoming a republic, it has a lot that is loaded in it,” Malahoo Forte said.

She pointed out that when Jamaicans take ownership of the laws that govern them, their struggle to be lawful will become less difficult. The minister said she was unapologetically passionate about ensuring that laws are informed by experiences.

“We chose the name Garvey for a reason. Now that we are in the period coming up to our ‘Emancipendence’, we hear about the things that have enslaved us and we hear that none but ourselves can free our minds, and we have Garvey, whose philosophy on black nationhood is something to be championed. It is not by coincidence that our AI helper is named Garvey, and I am excited that you will be able to interact with the portal and that when we are reforming the laws, you will be able to, from the convenience of your bedroom, living room or streetside, have your say,” she added.

Wayne Robertson, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, pointed out that the portal was well-needed, as currently there is no official website in Jamaica that provides information on a wide range of legal literature.

He said that in 2007 the Jamaica Justice System Reform task force report highlighted a connection between accessibility to information by the public that underpins the functioning of Jamaica’s economy, justice and governance systems.

“As emphasised in the report, availability of information about the laws is important for several reasons. The first is that people who are aware of the laws that govern them may less likely be in conflict with them. Secondly, people who come in contact with the justice system for whatever reason — as an offender, victim or as a witness or litigant — who may not be aware of their obligations, getting ready access to legislation and legal procedures for themselves. Thirdly, information and education are important aspects of crime prevention. Fourthly, every citizen in a democratic society has a need and responsibility to be aware of their rights and responsibility, as well.“

He added: “Knowledge of the law to help people to better identify the nature of legal assistance that may be required is a fifth point outlined in the report. The sixth point is knowledge of how to access information about the law that touches and concerns a particular issue, [which] can be a game changer for citizens who are at a disadvantage for economic and other reasons, including discrimination. It was very evident that the existing system needed to be transformed. The transformative journey has its genesis on September 28, 2020 when Cabinet granted approval for additional financing to be available,” the permanent secretary said.

Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck thanked the team at his ministry for laying the foundation for what he described as an important platform which was subsequently passed on to his able colleague minister to bring the platform to reality.

“The launch of this portal squarely aligns with Government’s core mission of promoting transparency, service excellence, public legal education and equitable access to justice. By digitising and centralising access to legislation, the case law and legal commentary, we are removing barriers that have long hindered public understanding and engagement with the law,” Chuck said.

Supreme Court Judge Lorna Shelly Williams, who was representing Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, also gave her approval of the new system. She said that in relation to the platform, it is good, as it will inform litigants who are before the courts.

“Oftentimes people come to court, the first thing they’re saying is that they did not know the law, the sentence or the fine. The portal is going to be very helpful in relation to this. A second aspect, I find, is that this portal is helpful for informing Jamaicans about new laws passed and how it affects them. This digital portal is important to judges especially as to how it informs changes to sentencing in relation to statutes,” she said.

“The worst thing that can happen to us judges is that we give a sentence and then five minutes later we hear that we were wrong and that the statutory mandatory minimum had changed and it is no longer 25 years but 30 years.”

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck speaks with president of the Jamaican Bar Association Tenneshia Watkins at the launch of the Jamaica Legal Information Portal at AC Hotel in Kingston Wednesday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)