The Editor, Sir:

For some time now, there has been a mind-boggling situation lingering on the summit of my head. The issue: 'Accessing our JPs' - the anonymously selected Justices of the Peace.

The duty has been entrusted upon JPs to act in a fair and impartial manner by authorising documentations of persons with whom they are familiar. I honestly recognise and appreciate the rationale of a JP and commend their hardworking efforts over all these years. The grouse I have with this JP charade, however, is that it creates a sense of discrimination against decent, upstanding and law-abiding citizens that have no previous or present affiliation with any standing JPs.

Suffering for the bad

Just recently I needed to have two passport-size pictures endorsed for a driver's licence and was told that the 'Justice' did not know who I was, so the pictures could not be signed. Understandably, there may be and will be unlawful persons who would want to cheat the system and that's the reason why JPs are instituted, so as to guard against situations as this.

But why victimise a young lawful tax-paying individual who seeks to solicit an American visa, to borrow a loan to purchase a house or a car, to get some documents validated in order to get a scholarship to attend a tertiary institution or to carry out some other self-development activity?

I am not against the services of our Justices, I'm just disconcerted that one of the systems devised to avert unlawful intentions, may inadvertently be affecting the other half (the lawful objective) unknown.

I am, etc.,

JERMAINE SIMMS

jermainesimmsplatinum

website@hotmail.com

May Pen, Clarendon

Via Go-Jamaica