KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) is urging patience as it seeks to settle the dispute between the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) and the Government over emergency duty allowance (compensation for extra hours worked).

Earlier this week, President of the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA), Dr Jubilee Brown-Service, said the association “cannot guarantee normalcy in the health sector” if the IDT does not hand down a ruling by Friday.

“We are fully aware that unusual delays in handing down awards could erode the public’s confidence in the work of the IDT as a quasi-judicial body charged with the responsibility of balancing justice between employers and workers in the industrial relations system. While the legal maxim holds true that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, we remain mindful that in complex and intricate matters, requiring extensive review of exhibits and authorities, ‘justice must also be careful’,” the IDT said in a press release on Wednesday.

According to the IDT, the Labour Relations & Industrial Disputes Act (LRIDA) under section 12(1) makes provision for an award to be handed down within 21 days after the dispute as so referred, or if it is impracticable to make an award within that period it shall do so as soon as may be practicable.
However, the IDT said it is always virtually impossible to do so having regard to meeting schedules and unexpected delays.

“The delivering of awards with reasonable promptness is a core judicial function. Where delays are excessive, we have a duty to apologise and urge the parties to the dispute, as well as the public to exercise patience. The IDT remains committed to delivering reasoned and fair rulings, and will continuously work to improve benchmark standards for more timely delivery of awards as soon as proceedings are completed,” it noted.

The IDT said it remains the foundation of Jamaica’s industrial relations and will continue to promote and maintain industrial harmony and stability.

“We urge the parties engaged in industrial disputes before us to uphold the guiding principles of industrial peace and harmony, and assure the parties and the public of our commitment to delivering just and fair settlements,” it added.

READ: Doctors sick of waiting