Modernised Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court commissioned

Jan 24, 2020 News

– features recording apparatus, domestic violence unit

It was a grand occasion as the ribbon, placed at the entrance to the new Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court, was cut during the commissioning of the building. This was done on Wednesday as members of the Judiciary welcomed the advent of a new courthouse.

The Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court

In attendance at the event were President David Granger, Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams.
Also at the gathering was Senior Counsel Teni Housty, President of the Bar Association and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Senior Counsel, Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack.
The event commenced at 10:00hrs after the arrival of the President. With prayers from the three respective religious backgrounds, the programme was underway.
Following brief remarks from the President of the Bar Association and Minister Williams guests were treated to overwhelming cultural pieces written by citizens of the Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demerara area.
They were performed by students of the New Diamond/Grove Primary School and the Diamond Secondary.
The performances captured mainly social matters that would cross the path of the courthouse. Behind the

Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards (L) and Chief Justice Roxane George

construction of the courthouse
According to the Chancellor Cummings-Edwards, because of an overwhelming increase in persons to the Diamond/Grove and surrounding communities on the East Bank of Demerara, the judiciary found a need for these citizens to have better access to justice.
Despite having two Senior Magistrates at the Providence Courts, the volume of cases is still high. Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce, was working almost every day until 6pm. Nevertheless, the load was still ever increasing on the East Bank of Demerara.
In this regard the Chancellor said, “The corresponding duty of the Judiciary, which is an arm of the State, to have an enabling environment and to provide the necessary steps and services in that regard must not be missed.”
The engagements with the State for the land, on which the new courthouse now sits, began under former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh.

President David Granger unveiling the plaque of the court with Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards

The sod for the construction of the Diamond/Grove court was turned on March 12, 2018. According to Chancellor Cummings-Edwards, such an investment is not without a cost. She told the gathering that a sum of $132,212,878 was expended on the contract. The engineer’s fee and reimbursement totaled $11,385,431. This amounted to $143,598,309. The contractor for the construction of the courthouse was PD Contracting. The Engineering Department was E&A Engineering Services.
The Chancellor said that the Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court should have been opened and handed over for business ever since.
After the turning of the sod, the duration of the contract should have been 12 months. But the actual start date was November 20, 2018. There were delays from the weather and the contractor.
THE MAKEUP OF THE COURTHOUSE
At the turning of the sod, it was decided that two courtrooms instead of one will be built.
Justice Cummings-Edwards said that the court boasts modern equipment and technology.

President Granger during a tour of the court

“There is Skype equipment and court recording units for the taking of evidence. So there is no longer the long hand way of evidence [Magistrates writing in a diary].”
There are facilities for the differently-able persons; for whom there is a wheelchair ramp and elevator. The washrooms were specially designed to accommodate wheel chair access. Also there will be a designated parking space in the compound for wheel-chair users visiting the halls of justice.
Within the courthouse, there is also a domestic violence unit where members of the public can come and have their matters dealt with or speak to Probations Officers or Social Protection Officers.
Holding facilities for prisoners and a Police Outpost have been built in the building. There is also a briefing room for attorneys to meet with their clients.
OPERATIONS OF THE COURT
Staff of the new court hit the ground running as Magistrate Rondel Weaver commenced hearing matters at 1pm Wednesday. According to reports, she will be assisted with proceedings at the court by Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce.
The court will be dealing with all the summary matters from Mondays to Fridays. The Providence court will be hearing all traffic matters. This will now turn that court into a specialised court.
The Providence Magistrates’ Courts will go back to having one courtroom and one Magistrate. According to the Chancellor, at that court a benab and a shed were built to accommodate witnesses.
“That in itself was not enough. Persons in the courtroom and the shed were spilling over. A request made to then Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, to use the police housing in the same compound to have another courtroom. This was readily granted.”
She said that it added a second courtroom or an annex to the courthouse. With the advent of this new courthouse at Diamond/Grove, the second courtroom will be returned to the Guyana Police Force for its intended purpose.