JUSTICE MINISTER A.J. Nicholson yesterday disclosed a number of recommendations put forward by a special sub-committee, as part of efforts to improve the jury system.
The sub-committee, headed by Canute Brown, attorney-at-law and former Member of Parliament for Hanover eastern, has recommended a review of the current process by which the jury panel for the Coroner's Court is established; the launch of a structured education programme to develop the jury system; re-examination of the list of those who are deemed to be exempt from jury duties; and increasing the number of persons summoned to serve as jurors from the current 70.
Mr. Nicholson, who was speaking during a press briefing at his Oxford Road, New Kingston office, dismissed claims that there was a widespread problem of "professional jurors" operating in the island's jury system. However, he admitted that it existed in the Kingston Coroner's Court.
"There is one court in Jamaica in which we have that problem. It has been extremely difficult over the years to find jurors for the Kingston Coroner's Court and there are persons who have made themselves available (repeatedly) to sit in that court from time to time," he admitted.
"But let me repeat, of all the other courts in Jamaica, including the Home Circuit Court, the several Circuit Courts in the several parishes and the Coroner's Court in the parishes outside of Kingston, there is no problem whatsoever concerning 'professional jurors."
In a Sunday Gleaner story published in August, persons within the legal fraternity expressed concerns about what they said was the continuous selection of some persons to serve as jurors. As a result, some casted doubts over the selection process for jurors, the loyalties of these persons and the integrity of the justice system.
"It is really, really unfortunate for the impression to be given that here in Jamaica we have professional jurors, it is not true," said the Justice Minister.
