TWO JUSTICES OF THE PEACE APPOINTED
     
     
     Wednesday, September 11 - His Excellency the Governor Frank Savage, acting under section 7(3) of the Magistrates' Code of Procedure Act, Cap.44, has appointed Mrs. Nidia George, MBE, and the Hon. Reeial George, MLC, as Justices of the Peace for the Territory.
     
     Mr. George is also the Minister for Natural Resources and Labour.
     Justices of the Peace are unpaid laymen charged with assisting officers of the law and the appointed judiciary in keeping the peace. They are a longstanding feature of the British judicial system.
     
     In some places, Justices of the Peace are Magistrates with the Clerks of Courts, who are lawyers, as their legal advisers. In the BVI, their overall function is to help preserve peace, prevent crime, and detect and commit offenders.
     
     Justices of the Peace are appointed either by Warrants signed by the Governor, or by virtue of an office held (ex-officio) as stipulated in the Act.
     
     The Magistrates' Code of Procedure Act (Cap. 44) empowers the Governor to appoint any 'fit and proper person' to be a Justice of the Peace. He may also, for any reason he considers 'good and sufficient,' remove any Justice of the Peace from office.
     The Magistrate and additional Magistrates are Justices of Peace ex officio.
     
     In addition, 'Every Gazetted Police Officer and Inspector stationed in the Territory.' Furthermore, the Magistrates Code of Procedure Act was amended in 1981 specifically to make every elected member of the Legislative Council an ex officio Justice of the Peace while he or she is a member of that body.
     The list of appointed Justices of the Peace in and for the Territory of the BVI is as follows:
     1. Mrs. Heather Cuff
     2. Mr. G.E.U. Dawson
     3. Mrs. Nidia George
     4. Hon. Reeial George
     5. Mr. J.R. O'Neal
     6. Mr. C.B. Romney.
     7. Mr. Corbett Wheatley