KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating sweep across Jamaica, court workers in the island’s western belt are being praised for their steadfast determination to keep the wheels of justice turning — even as some contend with their own personal losses.
Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, after personally surveying damaged court facilities in St James, Trelawny, Hanover, and St Elizabeth, highlighted the gravity of the destruction, describing several locations as barely operational. “The situation on the ground is challenging,” he noted. “But the character shown by the judiciary’s frontline is nothing short of commendable.”
According to Sykes, the most alarming scenes were in St Elizabeth, where court facilities were so badly impacted that they’re no longer viable for basic cleanup. “We’re not talking about minor damage — these buildings are inoperative,” he stated, emphasizing the urgency for structural assessments and possible relocation plans.
In contrast, parishes like Hanover and St James, while hit hard, have already begun cleanup efforts. Staff members — some of whom have lost portions of their homes or suffered other storm-related hardships — are reportedly back at work, leading recovery efforts from the ground up.
“This is the kind of resilience that can’t be trained — it must be lived,” Sykes remarked. “But it does underscore the need for deeper investment in crisis-readiness, including leadership development and infrastructural redundancies.”
The Chief Justice underscored the pivotal role being played by senior judges and operations managers, many of whom have swiftly coordinated localized plans to restart judicial services. Their actions, he said, reflect a broader institutional ethic and should serve as a model for future disaster response frameworks within the justice system.
Sykes urged inter-agency cooperation, calling on government ministries, legal associations, and private stakeholders to support the rebuilding efforts and secure continuity of justice for affected communities.
His next stop will be the Westmoreland Parish Court, as part of an ongoing field review of post-storm conditions across the island’s judicial infrastructure.
