Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Cedric Harper (centre), jokes with Her Excellency Mrs. Rheima Hall (left) and Jo Ann Kingsley at the Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica Golden Scale Awards. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

If you ever needed a Justice of The Peace badly, then last Saturday at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel was the place to be.

The Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ), which is the umbrella organisation for all JPs, presented its annual banquet and Golden Scale Award. The award goes to three members, one for each county, who have provided outstanding service to the country. President of the LMAJ Carlton Stephen thanked the association's founders for their vision.

"We've had our challenges but we soldier on," he said. He reminded members that their duty to serve was for life and so their ambit for involvement with the citizens of the country was greater than others who serve. He opined that their commitment should never be questioned and that they should always conduct themselves in a manner that promotes confidence.

Previous honours

This year the Golden Scale Awards went to Hubert Smith for the county of Cornwall; Vlora Alberga for Middlesex and Dinsdale 'Glen' Case for Surrey. Smith has been a JP since 1968 and has previously been honoured for his work with the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) and The Jamaica Library Service (JLA). Alberga is a life member of the LMAJ who serves as the association's social relations officer and is vice chairman of its mentoring committee. Case has been a JP since 1992, but was lauded primarily for his civic and community work over the years.

Guests included: Karl Binger and wife Dorraine Samuels Binger, Rev. Artnell Henry, Hugh Perry, Rev. Ashley Smith, German ambassador Volker Schlegel, Marigold Harding, Kathryn Thompson, Gloria Millwood, Joseph Williams, Alexander Dennis, parish award-winners, Mazie Distin, Raymond Campbell, Ivy Farquharson, Rev. Allan Ross, Reeva Latty, Astley Blair, Rev. Caswell Burton, George Brown, Glester Rowe and Dorothy Hanson.

Right: Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Cedric Harper (right), greets Claudette Stephen. At centre is her husband Carlton Stephen, president of the Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer