$1.8M spent to convert police building into Albion Magistrates’ Court

Sep 15, 2018 News

The refurbished building that is now the Albion Magistrate Court.

A building that once served as living quarters for police ranks was yesterday re-opened as the Albion Magistrates’ Court. Refurbished at a cost of $1.8 M and funded by the Supreme Court of Judicature, the edifice appears more spacious and convenient for persons attending court and the sitting magistrate along with the other court staff.
A simple ribbon cutting ceremony was held yesterday to officially declare the building open.
Suanna Lovell, Registrar of the High Court, told Kaieteur News that during the last quarter of 2017 the Chancellor (ag) made a visit to the district and was made aware of the conditions under which the magistrate at Albion was working.

“We were operating in a small room in the bottom flat of the police station and it really was not ideal for a court”. She stated that shortly after, the administration of the Guyana Police Force was approached to allow them to utilize another building for the Albion Magistrates’ Court.
“We got the permission and did some renovations to the building to make it more suitable because it was a police dwelling house, and so we did the renovations and we got it ready for court”, Lovell divulged.
Works which commenced on the building just over a month ago saw the repainting of the exterior and interior, redesigning of the interior from having bedrooms to the magistrate’s chambers and the courtroom.

A washroom facility was also refurbished.

Present at the simple ceremony was the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennon, Commander of B’ Division Clifton Hicken, his deputy Wayne DeHearte, Magistrate Renita Singh who is sitting magistrate for the Albion Court and the entire court staff.