Lawyer boycott stalls St Thomas Circuit Court
Published:Tuesday | July 13, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
The St Thomas Circuit Court, which has held its sessions in Kingston since the Morant Bay courthouse was gutted by fire in 2007, yesterday faced a total boycott by defence lawyers from the parish.
The lawyers are protesting the Government's tardiness in providing a courthouse in the parish.
"We are boycotting the court until the authorities take steps to rectify the situation because it is frustrating for us, as lawyers, to journey into Kingston to defend our clients," one of the lawyers, who requested anonymity, said yesterday.
The lawyer went on to explain that St Thomas was the only parish in which the citizens had to journey outside their parish to attend court.
"It is expensive not only for the lawyers but also for the witnesses, and particularly for the accused persons who have to pay bus fares to come into Kingston," the lawyer added.
The lawyer disclosed that some of the cases were legal aid assignments and that they were not even being paid by the Government for their services.
"It takes years to get money for legal-aid services and sometimes we are not even paid," the lawyer said.
The St Thomas Circuit Court is held for three weeks each term at the Home Circuit Court.
Surprised by boycott
Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, QC, said her office was taken by surprise by the boycott. She said the prosecutor who appeared in the St Thomas Circuit Court informed her of the situation. Llewellyn said she is hoping for a speedy resolution of the issue.
It is understood that the lawyers have written to Chief Justice Zaila McCalla outlining their frustration and disgust.
The St Thomas Circuit Court was set to run from yesterday to July 30. There are 23 cases listed for trial during the term, but acting Supreme Court judge Evan Brown had to set them for mention on different dates.
Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne announced in June 2009 that the ministry would construct a temporary facility to replace the courthouse, which was destroyed by fire in February 2007.