$37M modern Magistrate’s Court commissioned in Kwakwani

…to commence hearing of several cases including murder, sexual offence

A $37 million modern Magistrate’s Court officially opened on Friday in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), which is part of the Upper Demerara River Magisterial District.

The one-flat retrofitted courthouse is aimed at making access to justice easier for citizens. The court, which consists of living quarters for Magistrates and court staff, briefing rooms for lawyers/prosecutors, and a lock-up for prisoners, will sit on the first and third Fridays of every month.

Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony was Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who said that the building acquired from the State to house the court was derelict and had to undergo massive refurbishment.
She said, “It was an old derelict building which had to be refurbished. But repairs and paint have caused wonders and have transformed it into a courthouse.” The retrofitting of the building was done at the cost of $37, 856, 838.
Magistrate’s Court sittings in Kwakwani began in January 2001 under the tenure of late former Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Cecil Kennard and were held at the community centre, Police station, and other designated buildings.
The Chancellor said, “We did all of this to ensure that the ends of justice were met. Whether it was rented facilities, borrowed facilities…we utilised whatever buildings were vacant. The conditions were not always ideal but we sojourned because we realised that justice had to be served and persons had to have access to justice”. She said the new courthouse has a recording unit and internet service although there are some challenges in the community with bandwidth.
To this end, Justice Cummings said that the Judiciary will ensure that justice and fairness “flow like a river” in Kwakwani. This, she noted, is also the Judiciary’s goal and vision for all the courts throughout the 83,000 square miles of Guyana.
According to the Head of the Judiciary, there are quite a number of cases for hearing in the Kwakwani district, including cases for traffic offences, domestic violence, murder, assault, attempted murder, sexual offences, and noise nuisance. She encouraged residents in the community to maintain law and order.
The Chancellor promised them that if the need arises for the court, which is being presided over by Magistrate Wanda Fortune, to sit more frequently, permission will be granted.

Fundamental pillars
Also delivering remarks at the ceremony was Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, who reminded that the Judiciary is one of the fundamental pillars upon which a modern and democratic society stands.
In recognising the significant role the Judiciary plays and must continue to play as “we strive to develop the country”, the Attorney General assured that the Government will continue to partner with the Judiciary in many endeavours.
Nandlall said that the Government will do so with the recognition that access to justice is an inalienable right of our people. Against this backdrop, he added, “Many times you hear about access to healthcare, access to housing, access to water, and access to other important facilities. Access to justice is equally as important, if not perhaps, the most important of all the rights that a citizen is entitled to.”
He explained that it is the justice system and the rule of law that protect life. He said they also protect our ability to speak, move, celebrate, and do so many things that people take for granted. Nandlall said, too, that many times people forget that it is the Magistrate’s Courts where tens of thousands of citizens go every working day to have their cases heard and their grievances ventilated.
“And to them, no matter how trivial that case may be, it invariably is one of the most significant things going on in their individual lives. And the impression that they get based upon the treatment that they receive, the facilities that they are afforded, the accommodation that they enjoy, they take that with them home and that sometimes remains with them for a very, very long time.”
The Attorney General applauded the Chancellor and Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, who was also in attendance, for championing efforts to modernise the country’s justice system while noting that the Government has not been “stingy” in allocating resources to the Judiciary. “I would like to recognise the efforts of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice in leading the judicial efforts in bringing the most modern facilities to the most rural locations…”
He implored the residents to care the court like it is their own since it is there for their benefit, for their comfort, and to ensure that their many cases are afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time. With regards to the timely disposal of matters, he said that the Executive and Judiciary are working on a case management system that will be launched by mid-2022.
The Senior Counsel disclosed that the Mahaicony, Cove and John, and Vigilance Magistrate’s Courts on the East Coast of Demerara are being refurbished. Rehabilitation works are currently undergoing at the Mahdia, Bartica, and Providence Magistrate’s Courts. He revealed that two new Magistrate’s Courts will be constructed on the East Bank of Demerara at Soesdyke and Friendship while a Magistrate’s Court will be built at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank of Demerara.
Recognising that the stability and strength of the justice sector are paramount to public trust and investor confidence, the Government has set aside $4.5 billion in the 2022 budget to fund various works for advancing the sector.