Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The Hilary session of the Home Circuit Court opened yesterday with Justice Leighton Pusey expressing concern that, in Jamaica, not even the children and the elderly were safe from violent crimes.

"We can't just sit back and demand justice, there has to be action from everyone in the society," the judge said.

The judge made the comments shortly after he opened the new session which was marked with a brief ceremony in Justice Square, in front of the courthouse on King Street. Many spectators who turned up for the official opening were disappointed that there was not the usual colourful ceremony because the police band and the Supreme Court choir did not perform.

Justice Pusey called on all law-abiding citizens to stand up for justice rather than grumble and expect justice to be handed to them. He said it was necessary to emphasise that, as a society, Jamaicans must become more concerned about crime. He called on persons to come forward and give evidence when they see crimes being committed.

Issue of backlog

In referring to the huge backlog of cases before the court, the judge said it was only when we realised that as citizens they have duties and responsibilities that "we will see a difference and progress in dealing with these cases".

He pointed out that there were problems with matters in court and out of court in getting witnesses and jurors. He said when one looked at the court list, it seemed that there would never be an end to the cases as the list grew from term to term.

There are 291 cases listed for trial during this term and 166 of them are murder cases. The previous term, which began September 16 and ended on December 20, had 274 cases, 58 were disposed of and 264 traversed to this term. There are 77 sexual offence cases on the court list.

Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn said the Director of Public Prosecutions and the staff, were seeking to have a higher disposal of cases this term. She also outlined some of the problems which the court faced during the term, such as shortage of jurors and absent witnesses.

On behalf of the private Bar, defence lawyers Ravel Golding and Merles Reid pledged support to dispose of the cases as quickly as possible.