KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Delroy Chuck, is imploring the country’s Justices of the Peace (JPs) to be ambassadors of peace.

Chuck made the plea on Thursday as he addressed a virtual sensitisation session to engage JPs in a ministerial discussion on promoting peace in Jamaica. He told the JPs in a 15-minute address that they can be of great help in reducing domestic murders.

“You JPs, where you see arguments, conflicts developing, you need to urge the parties to seek help,” Chuck said.

“We also have restorative justice, we have mediation when people have conflict and can’t sort out their problems — we have mediators and we have restorative justice facilitators to assist,” he added.

The justice minister noted that far too many JPs believe that their main tasks are to authenticate documents and assisting persons with identification.

“But I’m now going to ask every single justice of the peace to please be an ambassador of peace,” he stated.

Chuck pointed out that promoting peace was the initial role of JPs in England 800 years ago.

“They were not only the advocates but they were the persons in the various parts of England that brought peace within various municipalities, various counties and neighbourhoods and that is the role that…we now in Jamaica will have to reactivate — that our justices of the peace see, as a primary role that you’re not only ensuring that our citizens have access to justice, but you’re assisting us to secure justice within our communities”.

The sensitisation sessions form part of the ministry’s continued efforts to strengthen the capacity of JPs as justice sector personnel and to sensitise them to policies that will broaden their scope of service delivery.