Champagnie calls for mentorship programme for junior colleagues

Nickoy Wilson, Gleaner Writer

Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie is calling for a formal mentorship programme to be established for newly-minted lawyers so as to help them become better acquainted with key legislations, particularly those related to criminal law.

Champagnie made the call this morning during the opening of the Hilary term of the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.

He argued that a mentorship programme has become necessary to meet the new demands of the court system, noting that important legislation such as the Criminal Justice (Plea Negotiations And Agreement) Act are underutilised.

“I feel that in this new dispensation that there is progress. I fear that, if it is that attention is not placed on mentorship, if attention is not placed on institutionalised training at the private bar, we will be left behind in the new thrust to make our justice system world-class,” he said, adding that both the Jamaican Bar Association and Advocates' Association of Jamaica have a role to play.

Justice Georgiana Fraser, who represented the judiciary at the ceremony, pledged the fraternity’s commitment to having an efficient justice system.

“We stand committed to continue the change and achieve even greater levels of success in terms of the cases we have to deal with,” she said.

“It is an achievable test,” she added.

There are 99 matters set for trial for the term, which ends in March.

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