Justice Ministry to tour island promoting Alternate Dispute Resolution policy

Ministè Jistis la ap prepare pou li mennen Politik Rezolisyon Dispit Altènatif (ADR) li a nan yon vwayaj atravè tout peyi a pita nan mwa sa a, nan kad yon efò pi laj pou ankouraje Jamayiken yo rezoud dezakò yo nan lapè epi kontribye nan yon bès kontinyèl nan krim grav.

"The country is doing well, but we can do much better. We have to get murders going down and crime going down. And this is why this ADR policy is meant to assist the police and the country to settle the disputes, solve disagreements, so that they do not have to use abuse, threats, and violence to solve them. We are really planning to go out across the island to promote ADR," se sa Minis Jistis Delroy Chuck te di.

Chuck te fè kòmantè sa yo Mèkredi nan lansman Kanpay Edikasyon Piblik sou Devlopman Politik ADR ak Planifikasyon Byen Imobilye, ki te fèt nan katye jeneral ministè a. Li te fè konnen anpil ofans vyolan soti nan dispit òdinè ki pa t janm jere kòmsadwa, e ke bay sityaayen yo zouti yo ka fè konfyans pou entèvansyon bonè ka anpeche eskalasyon.

"ADR offers a different path. It provides timely, accessible, and people-oriented and people-centred solutions, mediation, arbitration, restorative justice, negotiation, adjudication, conciliation, among others, that allows individuals, families, businesses and communities to resolve disputes earlier, faster, and more amicably, without the cost and complexity of formal court proceedings," se sa li te di.

Dapre minis la, ADR ankouraje yon chanjman nan kilti, k ap detounen Jamayiken yo de abitid pou yo transfòme konfli an konfwontasyon epi mennen yo nan abitid dyalòg ak konpreyansyon mityèl.

"We're on the right path in terms of getting crime and violence down. [In] 2023, murder — which is a good measure of what is happening in terms of crime and violence in Jamaica — went down by nine per cent. In 2024, 19 per cent. Last year, we went down by 42 per cent. I don't know what the percentage will be this year, but we're really hoping it will be high, close to 50 per cent," se sa Chuck te deklare, e li te ajoute ke li kwè ADR ka ede pouse chif sa a pi lwen.

Dokiman konsèp ADR la te resevwa apwobasyon Kabinè a nan mwa Desanm 2025 epi li te depoze nan Chanm nan kòm yon Liv Vèt nan mwa Fevriye. Chuck te mete aksan sou ke konsiltasyon ki planifye yo se eleman santral pou bati kad la epi li te ankouraje Jamayiken yo patisipe.

"This engagement process is not a formality, it is the foundation. We're seeking your insights, expertise, and lived experiences to help shape a comprehensive, inclusive, and effective ADR policy framework, one that reflects the realities of our people and meets the needs of all sectors. Let me say this: It is so very important for us to buy into this programme," se sa li te ensiste.

Sandy-Lue Cole Jarrett, Direktris Aktyèl ak Analis Politik Prensipal nan Inite Lwa Piblik, Jistis Reparatif ak Prevantif, te di Jamaica Observer ke vwayaj la pral kòmanse nan pati lwès zile a, k ap pase nan Hanover, St James, ak Trelawny. Li te di ekip la te fikse 20 me jiska 22 me pou premye seyans sa yo, byenke yon konsiltasyon Kingston ka fèt anvan.

Cole Jarrett te fè konnen ADR bay piblik la yon vrè altènatif pou litijasyon e ke politik la fèt pou elaji konsyans sou divès metòd ki disponib yo.

"Law enforcement and punitive measures can fall short in addressing the root causes leading to recurring cycles of crime and violence. The court process can be adversarial. ADR places strong emphasis on building better relationships. Adversarial processes are not necessarily good for long-standing amicable relationships. What ADR tries to do here is to make sure that once parties leave an ADR resolution session, they are both leaving happy, for want of a better word," se sa li te di, pandan li t ap avèti ke ADR pi byen apwopriye pou afè sivil epi li p ap adapte ak chak sitiyasyon.

"I want to emphasise that we want society to get to a stage where there is no contemplation of going to court. Because you would have been au fait with these ADR methods, you would have been exposed to solving disputes and conflicts by ADR. We anticipate that disputes will not escalate to a point where court intervention is required," se sa Cole Jarrett te ajoute.

Yon fwa Palman an finalize politik la, li te di, mizanplas la prevwa devlope sou yon peryòd senk an ki kouri soti 2027 jiska 2031, apre yon rafineman pi lwen Liv Vèt la baze sou opinyon pati konsène yo anvan li retounen nan Chanm Palman yo pou depoze epi pou yon deplwaman nasyonal.