New district court offices for Mahdia, Bartica soon – sod turning for construction of Diamond Magistrates’ Court in weeks

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DPI, GUYANA, Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Residents of Cuyuni-Mazaruni – Region Seven, and Potaro-Siparuni – Region Eight will, within the coming months, benefit from the opening of District Court Offices which will see regular sittings of the court and the availability of centralised services.

This disclosure today by the Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, comes on the heels of the opening of the Rupununi Magisterial District Court Office on Friday, February 2, 2018, in Lethem, Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo – Region Nine.

The opening of registries or district offices, Justice Cummings-Edwards noted, will significantly reduce the time, cost and distance of travel for the residents in those areas.

The aim, she said, is to have daily or weekly sittings of the court and litigants will now be able to file applications for child support, receive bail refunds and other centralised services.

Resident Magistrates will be placed in the regions as well.

In a matter of weeks, the sod will be turned for the construction of a new Magistrates’ Court at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

“On the East Bank, from Timehri coming all the way to Georgetown, even Agricola is a heavy catchment area and the volume of cases coming out of there is really high. A court is sitting at Providence and after assuming the office of Chancellor, I revisited it and I realised that the volume was so high we had to have a second building for the court and a second magistrate,” Justice Cummings-Edwards explained.

The decision was then taken to have another court constructed at Diamond and with assistance from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the land was acquired to undertake the initiative.

“We intend to put lifts for persons with disabilities so they would be able to access the court. We will have a briefing room for lawyers, a library, rooms for bailiffs, waiting rooms for litigants and members of the public. So that will be very modern.”

According to the Acting Chancellor, the idea behind the venture is not only to provide access to justice but to ensure that citizens are comfortable while they have their cases heard and that the magistrates are equipped with the necessary amenities.

She informed that a lift has been acquired and will be installed at the High Court in Georgetown, to cater for differently abled persons attending court.

This is another step towards achieving Government’s plan of ensuring that justice is accessible to all in an efficient manner.

 

By: Stacy Carmichael