Opening of the Supreme Court of Jamaica
on George Hamilton (Jamaica), 17/Sep/2010 01:30, 34 days ago
Today was the opening of the Supreme Court of Jamaica and George was given the privilege to attend as one of the guests admitted into the Court. The opening was only for the Civil Court, not the Criminal Court which continues all year long. Crime never takes a holiday. There was lots of pomp and ceremony with singing of the national anthem, entertainment and people dancing in the streets.Above is Noreth in the grey jacket and black skirt, the director of the mediation section of the Dispute Resolution Foundation where George works before all the celebrations started with MC of the ceremonies (the lady on the left) and a Jamaican policeman.The police officers walked around the perimeter of the Supreme Court before being regally inspected by the Chief Justice photographed below in red. There are impressively a lot of women in high positions in Jamaica.After the outdoor festivities, George went inside and walked around observing the criminal cases in progress. Because the Criminal section never ceases, George found the inside fairly busy. During his hour visit inside at least a half dozen passed by in hand cuffs escorted by guards.He said one of the amusing parts was seeing a rasta lawyer but he didn't take a picture because he was inisde the courtroom. He knows I would be fascinated by a lawyer with dreads. On quizzing him, it turns out the lawyer may not have had real rasta back-combed dreads but more likely the salon style braided dreads which are popular with the younger crowd. But still long and still cool...for a lawyer! George also chuckled to himself when the Sergeant Major was meticulously inspecting the police officers and his hat slowly slid off, so the only one with a faulty uniform was the Sergeant Major himself.Above is one of the crowd members enjoying the music. Jamaicans love music.