Sewage overflows at City Magistrates’ Courts unbearable

May 02, 2017 News

Despite $160M spent to rehabilitate the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the constant overflowing of the sewage still poses a health hazard to scores of persons traversing the court daily.
The sewage tank which is located in close proximity to the prisoners’ lock-ups and the entrance to the prisoners’ chute leading to court one and two overflows especially when it rains.
When this occurs the prisoners would have to use the stairway to enter and exit the different courtrooms. The sewage, which obviously has an unbearable scent, floods the main entrance for Courts One, Two, Eight and Nine and also the Collecting Office, which are situated on the lower flat of the two-storey court house.
Many persons including reporters and police ranks stationed at the court have raised concerns about the situation which has become intolerable. In some instances, it has been observed that individuals would walk into the nasty water without being aware of what they are stepping in.
A clerk who accompanied her best friend to the court last Friday said, “I was not allowed to enter the courtroom because of the colour clothing I was wearing, so I told my friend I would sit on the bench outside the courtroom at court six and wait for her. A few minutes of me sitting there was the worst I have felt in a long time. I smelt something that automatically gave me a headache, when I looked around to see where the scent was coming from I saw tissues and faeces floating in water. I felt so sick I had to get up and go home… that was unbearable. Much less if the breeze was blowing, the stench would have killed me.”
“The condition gets worse and worse every time I come here for the past two weeks. I have been coming at this court because I have a matter and every time I come the first thing I does smell is p*** and sh**. One time I stand up on the step and if you see faeces that was floating around and the police officers who are stationed in that area had to eat their lunch right there. That could never be fair, with all the money the government spend,” Leonie Smith, a frequent visitor lamented.
A reporter highlighted, “Children accompany their parents at courts daily to collect maintenance. The stench is unbearable and to crown it off police officers have stand up in that nasty area to perform their duties. Some of the ranks would also be seen eating there because they cannot neglect their duties. Almost every week this sewage overflows and all they doing is sprinkling jeyes fluid. Some persons would spray air freshener and eat and dwell under that condition.”

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