Human rights is a vital factor for good governance, says Jamaica’s Justice Minister

Respect for human rights is essential to good governance in any democratic society, said Jamaica’s Attorney-General and Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne.

Speaking at the opening of the five-day Commonwealth workshop for police trainers in the Caribbean region, which took place at the Jamaica Constabulary Staff College in Twickenham Park, located near the capital, Kingston, on 23 June 2008, Ms Lightbourne said: “It is the responsibility of the state to protect the human rights of its citizens. Every agency, be it the police, military, the judiciary or the civil administration, have a duty to protect the human rights of citizens, and to prevent and prosecute violations of human rights.”

She stressed that the police have a major responsibility to protect human rights and freedom while maintaining law and order.

“It is the duty of the police to put before the criminal justice system – the courts – all those persons who breach the law, include the laws which protect the human rights of citizens. So policing is not merely a job, it is public trust,” stated Ms Lightbourne.

She said efforts are underway in Jamaica to modernise the country’s police force and reform its justice system. But Ms Lightbourne emphasised that more must be done to win the confidence and co-operation of civil society in the battle against crime. She said the Police Civilian Oversight Authority set up in 2005, has been carrying out its role in promoting good relations between the public and the police by monitoring the implementation of policies by the Jamaica Constabulary and its auxiliaries to ensure that international standards of policing are maintained.

Ms Lightbourne said a new independent Commission of Parliament is to be established to hold the security forces accountable to the public and to ensure that the human rights of every citizen are respected in the execution of their duties. She added that a Bill is being tabled in Parliament to provide for a Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which safeguards citizens’ rights in a free and democratic society.

“I am pleased to hear that every police recruit has to undergo human rights training before graduating. It would be good for members who are already serving to refresh or upgrade their training in human rights,” said Ms Lightbourne.

Thirty-three police officers from Commonwealth Caribbean countries are attending the workshop conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Human Rights Unit in a programme financed by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation.

The Assistant Superindendant of the Belize Police, Marlon Allen, said the workshop is very useful as it offers valuable knowledge and lessons to be learnt from case studies, role playing and the sharing of experiences from around the Commonwealth Caribbean countries.

Another participant, the Superintendant and Commandant of the Police Training School at St Kitts and Nevis, Raymond Cotton, found the workshop very helpful in promoting the understanding of human rights issues through the study of international covenants and interactive instruction technique.

Key Links:

• Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation
• Human Rights