Old courthouse to be commissioned as family court

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

Following a major fire that damaged the Manchester Courthouse almost two years ago, Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck has confirmed that the newly renovated building is to be commissioned as the parish’s Family Court in a matter of weeks.

According to an email response to The Gleaner ’s query earlier this month, Chuck said the decision to renovate and repurpose the old building is in line with the justice ministry’s efforts to meet the increasing demand for justice services across the island.

“This fit-for-purpose building will provide a comfortable space to deal with matters involving some of the most vulnerable in the society,” the statement read

With calls made in the past for the building to be used as a museum and not as a courthouse due to what was described as its old, compromised structure that could not accommodate heavy traffic, the Ministry of Justice said the building is “structurally sound”.

“Following the fire on November 7, 2019, the ministry conducted an inspection, and the renovations we undertook addressed those areas which were damaged. Once the renovations are complete, the building will be inspected and certified by the relevant authorities before it is opened to the public,” the statement said.

Chuck, who was speaking at Thursday’s commissioning service of 60 justices of peace and the launch of the Manchester Justice of the Peace Association, confirmed that plans are also in place to build a new parish court.

He said this will be done on one and a half acre of land on Brumalia Road, but could be delayed by government procedures.

“It’s a frustrating thing to work with government. When you hear procurement, your head hurts because everything is procurement and from you hear procurement that is six months. Over three years ago the prime minister and I spoke and I told him I needed five courthouses. He said start out with two: Manchester and St James. Three years have passed and we haven’t even started.”

Chuck said an expedited build-out of the new courthouse may require a public-private partnership.

“Maybe that is the best way to go about it – a public-private partnership. Let the private sector build it and hand it over to us. If we go through this procurement thing, it may take another three to five years,” Chuck said.