JPs and COAs need to be regulated

May 11, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I bring to your attention the following points in relation to the compulsory registration of all Justices of the Peace (JPs) & Commissioners of Oaths to Affidavits (COAs) with the Association.
The chief point is the compulsory registration of all JPs & COAs with the Justices of the Peace and Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits Association. There are approximately 500 JPs and COAs in Guyana and only about 50 are members of the Association.
Personally, I have been trying for the last 3 years to mobilize all JPs & COAs countrywide to join the Association, but was only partially successful.
We are having problems in getting the JPs & COAs to produce their instruments of Appointment. Some were appointed during the last Administration, by former President Forbes Burnham, Mr. Hoyte, by the Queen in England and former President Arthur Chung. Persons were made JPs only and have been using Rubber Stamps with the titles JP & COA and functioning in both capacities, which is illegal.
There is no oversight body to regulate the actions, activities and functions of JPs and COAs in the country. We would like to help in this instance.
Future appointees (JPs & COAs) should be directed to join the Association as part of the regulations governing the issuance of their commissions.
In the interest of JPs being capable of serving their community better we appeal to the relevant authorities, with all due respect, to intervene to make it mandatory for all JPs & COAs in the country to become registered members of the Association and to produce their letters of appointment/commission. It is clearly understood that persons are appointed by the President of Guyana as JPs or COAs, but if you have not taken the oath of office in front of a Magistrate/Judge, the appointment would not be proper or legal.
In order to regularize this aspect, we are humbly asking that it be compulsory for all JPs & COAs to be members of the Association so that they could be vetted for authenticity and monitored in their functioning.
It’s an honour to help in any way possible to ensure that all JPs & COAs are gazetted in accordance with the JP Act. Essentially our body is trying to update the current JP & COA lists to ensure the correct appointments in accordance with their instruments of appointments/commissions and also to ensure better control and accountability of all JPs & COAs within this country’s jurisdiction.
At this point we appeal for any suggestions that persons may have for us in the interest of the development and progress of the Association.
Hermon Bholaisingh
{J.P. / C.O.A. / L.M.O.} President

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News