Justices of the Peace Convene for Training in Cayo and Stann Creek

More than sixty Justices of the Peace and Senior Justices of the Peace from the San Ignacio, Santa Elena and Benque Viejo del Carmen areas gathered on Sunday for a training session aimed at strengthening the delivery of voluntary services to the public.  The session was held at CET and brought together members of the Justice of the Peace Association for a series of presentations and discussions on key national matters affecting their work.  Serving as Master of Ceremonies was JP and mediator Sydney Petillo. The opening prayer was delivered by Senior JP Anthony Morris, while Senior JP Raymond Cox, President of the SI/SE Chapter, gave the welcome address.  Participants received presentations from Juan Gonzalez JP, George Gomez, Senior JP Orlando Espat, and JP Cesar Pulido. Topics covered included immigration matters, vital statistics, Social Security, provisions under the Justice of the Peace Act, and land-related issues.  Organizers say the training forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure JPs remain informed and effective in their community-based voluntary roles. The Association indicated that additional follow-up sessions are planned to address emerging concerns and enhance service delivery.  Meanwhile, a similar push for strengthening the JP network was seen in the Stann Creek District, where the Stann Creek Chapter of Justices of the Peace met in Dangriga on Saturday.  Senior JP, Mayor Robert Mariano explained that the work of Justices of the Peace remains a free public service and highlighted several urgent matters discussed by the chapter, including the formal registration of the Stann Creek body and future capacity-building plans.

Mariano noted that further training is expected down the road, particularly in specialized services such as marriage solemnization.