Governor General Dr Patrick Allen will be investigating a complaint that lay magistrates are being barred from viewing the conditions at holding cells at some police stations, which forms part of their responsibility under the law.

Some lay magistrates have complained that they have been denied access to the lock-ups in their parishes.

Last Friday, Allen pledged to look into the matter.

"I will check it out to see what really is the situation," he said. The governor general also said that he did not recall the matter being discussed, especially not in detail, at a meeting he had last Tuesday with the custodes, who liaise with the lay magistrates.

Calvin Lyn, national president of the Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica, revealed that the issue was brought to the fore at the association's monthly board of directors meeting in March. Lyn explained that visits to police holding cells by justices of the peace are a long-standing tradition within the justice system.

Ryan Hall, vice-president of the association, who chaired the March meeting, said lay magistrates from two of the association's chapters complained that the police officers at the station were denying them access to the holding cells.

SOME cooperation

"At least two of our chapters have not been getting the usual cooperation whereby the people can go in and do it (inspection)," Hall said.

He added: "All our chapters are encouraged to visit the lock-ups in the areas that they operate just to see that the conditions are OK; see that our prisoners feel that they are being treated timely."

Hall added that despite initiating talks with the Ministry of National Security, nothing definitive has transpired. "Until this minute, we have not had a response to say yes, go ahead. We keep getting responses saying that yes, the matter is being looked at and they will get back to us," he said.

Hall pointed out that former permanent secretary in the national security ministry, Gilbert Scott, was the point of contact. Efforts to contact the current permanent secretary, Major Richard Reese, were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Lyn pointed out that some stations still invite the lay magistrates to visit the holding cells. "It all depends on the officer at the station," he said.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com