JPs Urged to Refrain from Verifying Documents of Persons They Do Not Know

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, has reiterated his appeal for Justices of the Peace (JPs) to refrain from verifying the documents of persons they do not know.

Minister Chuck, who was speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank, said the act of falsely verifying documents affects the integrity of the office and breeds corruption.

He noted the alarming number of fake identifications (IDs) arising from JPs validating and witnessing the documents of persons with whom they are not familiar.

“Unless the JP knows the person, he should not verify the person or witness any documents verifying the person,” he stressed.

The Minister added that “presenting a piece of ID does not provide the grounds for JPs to verify the documents of someone they do not know, as the authenticity of this piece of identification can be questioned.”
He said that the pending National Identification System (NIDS) will address the issue of unscrupulous persons obtaining multiple fake IDs.

Meanwhile, the Justice Minister called for more eligible persons to come forward and offer to serve as JPs.

“Justices of the Peace are standard-bearers of the decency and civility in their communities,” he noted.

“They provide fantastic voluntary community service and these are persons we want to be of a high standard,” he pointed out.

source: www.jis.gov.jm