EDITORIAL - Saving justice system from corruption

"The justice system in Jamaica has groaned and sunk under the weight of disputes between the citizens of Jamaica. It is overloaded. It is inefficient," the minister reportedly told his audience. And Mr Chuck ought to know, having spent more than two decades in the system as a private practitioner.

Justice is a sensitive issue, especially in a country where there is widespread distrust of the court and justice system. Any system that allows a case to be clogged up so that 11 years and 38 times after being called up there is still no resolution is rotten, to say the least. And as Mr Chuck well knows, the lack of public confidence in a country's justice system is an impediment to development.

Mr Chuck was only recently appointed minister of justice, although for many years he was the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) spokesman on the subject. Entering an election campaign so soon after assuming office, Mr Chuck is obviously constrained in taking any effective action against corruption. However, the JLP will have to put up a stout defence to dispel the perception that in the area of tackling corruption in the justice system, it has been all talk and little action.

discuss the problems

Mr Chuck was correct when he told his audience that all sectors of society need to come together to discuss the problems and to "meaningfully and collaboratively look at solutions".

Indeed, the time has come for the country to get together and carefully examine the actions of all those who play a role in turning the wheels of justice (police, prosecutors, lawyers, judges and correctional service) to determine how corruption has become so deeply entrenched in the system and what can be done to purge it.

Frankly, we are disappointed that neither of the national debates has taken a critical look at justice and national security. We hope that in the upcoming leadership debate, the country will hear from its prospective leaders what concrete action and national strategies will be devised to weed out corruption and abuse in the justice system.

We applaud the concept of the Justice Undertakings for Social Transformation programme being spearheaded with the help of the Canadian government, for Jamaica needs a justice system that it can trust.

December 9 was designated International Anti-Corruption Day by the United Nations. Here in Jamaica, we missed an opportunity to embrace the concept this year. Corruption undermines democracy and rocks the very foundation of a government, since it often perverts the course of justice.

Real progress in overcoming corruption can only be achieved if all Jamaicans are engaged in a period of self-examination to analyse the ways in which we contribute to corruption. Even the smallest inappropriate action can tarnish the system.