Justice Minister Delroy Chuck is urging Jamaicans to take responsibility for their family’s future by making a will.

He said the failure of citizens to prepare wills, resulting in billions in unclaimed assets, systemic overload, family disputes, and even violence, remains a growing concern in Jamaica.

Chuck, who was addressing a Justices of the Peace (JP) sensitisation session at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in St. Ann recently, said the Administrator General’s Department (AGD) is currently overwhelmed, as the agency now manages more than $50 billion in properties that legitimately belong to beneficiaries.

Additionally, he said approximately $5 billion in cash sits in banks awaiting distribution to rightful heirs.

Chuck further stated that the AGD faces significant challenges in their property management duties, including difficulties collecting rent from tenants occupying properties that should benefit heirs.

He noted that these unclaimed assets remain tied up, simply because testators fail to plan for their future.

“I make this point to encourage you (Jamaicans), when you’re in your private conversations with your children, your family, your neighbours and everyone, just make a will and keep it [safely],” Chuck urged.

He pointed out that the absence of a will can trigger conflicts among relatives, sometimes escalating to violence – even murder – over “dead left” properties.

“It is a sad state of affairs, [and] all of this is so totally unnecessary. That is why, Justices of the Peace, I am depending on you to see how you can help in ameliorating some of the challenges that the country faces,” Chuck said.

This, he pointed out, “is also something that we at the Ministry of Justice feel passionate about… that we need to educate more Jamaicans, and we are starting out, certainly, with the Justices of the Peace,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has taken a multifaceted approach to addressing these challenges by implementing strategies such as restorative justice, mediation, and victim support services.

These are intended to assist Jamaicans in resolving conflicts amicably and improving community relations.

The sensitisation session featured presentations from key government agencies, including the Office of the Public Defender, National Land Agency, and AGD, equipping JPs with essential legal and administrative knowledge.

Chuck said the goal is to equip JPs with the necessary information to help citizens avoid common pitfalls in property, legal rights, and inheritance matters, emphasising that “Jamaica depends on you to really help those who don’t know”.