Ninety-one Toshaos of titled villages and three community development officers were sworn in as Justices of Peace (JP) as part of an initiative to ease the burden of Amerindians having to travel to other communities to gain access to these services.

According to a GINA press release, the 94 JPs were sworn in recently at the Guyana International Conference Centre in the presence of Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson and Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai.

The duties of the new JPs include officiating at marriage and civil union ceremonies, witnessing oaths and signatures, conducting inquests and providing mediation. The Toshaos were all trained as rural constables and were taught how to perform mediation services prior to the swearing in.

The initiative is a part of the government’s modernisation plan for the hinterland and more Toshaos from Regions Nine and One are to be sworn in, the release said.