Govt. considering municipal courts

Oct 26, 2016 News

The government is considering setting up municipal courts countrywide to deal with violations of municipal laws.
Speaking with councillors in Region Two over the weekend, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, said the need for the courts is being advanced by various organisations.
According to Bulkan, repeated calls for municipal courts have been made by the Georgetown City Council and the Private Sector so that delinquent taxpayers and other violations can be dealt with expeditiously.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan addressing councillors in Region 2.

Speaking with the Region Two councillors, Bulkan explained that since engaging the Georgetown City Council and holding similar engagements with other councils across the country, the administration is considering setting up municipal courts as a mechanism to address these and other disregard for the authority of municipal councils and non-adherence to regulations.
“It is coming through clear, in all our engagement with all our local government organs, that we would need a dedicated court to be able to address infractions and violations at the local (government) level,” the Minister said, in a Government release.
Bulkan noted that unless there is an effective and functioning mechanism, the councils would not be able to meaningfully address and arrest activities which do not help the functioning of the councils.
According to Bulkan, councils have been complaining not only of their inability to rake in outstanding monies owed by delinquent taxpayers, but issues such as illegal roadside vending and illegal building construction have also been affecting their revenue bases and impeding their effective functioning.
The issue of roadside vending was raised during the meeting with the Region Two councillors.
Bulkan told the councillors that municipal courts would help bring resolution in an expeditious and efficient manner, to the issues.
A municipal court is one whose jurisdiction is limited to a specific municipality. These courts preside only over cases and offences that take place within their jurisdiction. They provide a for

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