Justices of the Peace for the parish of St Thomas were encouraged by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen to leave behind a legacy which persons can emulate. Sir Patrick Allen was addressing JPs at a meeting held at the Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.
His charge to the JPs resonated with them as they later pledged, through their Custos the Hon. Marica Bennett, to go into various communities where they would spread the message that it is time to “take back Jamaica”.
The Governor-General told them that he dreams of a Jamaica which will be peaceful, productive and prosperous. It is for this reason, he noted, that he has been 
meeting with JPs islandwide to make this dream a reality. He pointed out, however, that the reality which confronts the country questions whether the nation will be able to achieve its vision for 2030.
Raising concerns about the statistics on crime in St. Thomas, Sir Patrick told the JPs that: “One of the reasons I am here this afternoon is to solicit your support to reverse the trend of crime and violence through mentorship and community engagement in support of law enforcement authorities”, he said.
He urged the JPs to remember that they were commissioned to be peacemakers. “We want our people to live in greater security. Our citizens must not be the ones 
hiding behind burglar bars and security systems, while the perpetrators roam freely and terrorize our community”, stated the Governor-General.
Sir Patrick Allen thanked the JPs for their time and effort in recruiting the most deserving recipients for the upcoming the GGAA awards programme which now operates under the Governor-General’s Programmer For Excellence.