$277.9M Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court commissioned at Mabaruma

Feb 22, 2025 News

---

Kaieteur News- The $277.9 million Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court, located in Region One was on Friday commissioned. During the commissioning ceremony, the Judicial Flag was hoisted there for the first time.

The commissioning ceremony was chaired by Acting Chief Justice Roxane George and attended by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips who, was performing the duties of president; acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards; Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; Mayor of Mabaruma, Trevi Leung; Regional Chairperson Brentnol Ashley; Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature, Sueanna Lovell; Principal Magistrates Faith McGusty and Judy Latchman; Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse and other judicial staff and regional officials.

The Attorney General in his remarks said that the courts at Mahdia and Port Kaituma can be compared to any urban facility as they contain all modern facilities.

“So late last year, we launched a Deeds and Commercial Registry Authority here, a branch where the residents of Region One in particular, this sub-district can access all the services that that agency offers in Georgetown, right here in their community, and we have opened another branch in the Port Kaituma sub-district as well. That agency offers a number of important legal and quasi-legal services that were never accessible in this region prior to last year,” Nandlall explained.

Persons would have had to travel to Georgetown and the Essequibo Coast to have access to the services.

“The point I am making is all the services that are available in Georgetown and in the other regions of our country are also available to you in this region. This edifice, which we are here to celebrate, and which we will all visit very shortly and inspect, stands as another undisputed illustration of our government’s commitment to the rule of law and represents another manifestation of our government’s strong, tangible working relationship with the judiciary to ensure that all of our citizens have quality, have access to equality in our justice system,” the AG said.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary,

Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, said that as an arm of the State, the judiciary must craft a system that has services and facilities that are matching Guyana’s economy and growth as currently the country has the fastest growing economy in the world.

“So, what you’re witnessing here today, ladies and gentlemen, is a modernized judiciary, a modernized system of dispensing justice that seeks to meet not only the needs of the community or the needs of the country or the developmental needs, but also the commitment or the concomitant demands of justice,” she said.

Justice Yonette-Cummings disclosed that the court house sports a smart courtroom, along with facilities for the public, magistrates and the staff.

“I’ve been given the names of all the communities of this area, but it will take so much time to call all of them and you are fully aware of all those communities. All of you are represented here today, and this facility here is for all of you. So, whether you  be in the hinterland or in the capital city, the judiciary extends the services of a high standard and quality to match the needs of each and every society.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Phillips said that the government is committed to ensuring  access to and equal treatment before the law while reminding that this is enshrined in the country’s constitution.

“Our government is deeply committed to ensuring that these rights and freedoms do not exist on paper only, but are realized by our citizens. It is for this reason that our government invests billions of dollars annually in our justice sector in order to advance the rule of law and ensure our people have access to justice system that is competent, efficient and impartial,” he said.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the overarching principles of justice.

He said, “No longer should anyone have to endure, as you heard, before long, costly journeys to urban centers in search of justice. The same facilities that are available in our towns are also now being made available in our hinterland regions.”

Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse will be presiding over matters at the Mabaruma Court, while other magistrates will visit from time to time to assist.

Meanwhile, for the first time since its existence, the judiciary has its own flag, which was hoisted at the commissioning ceremony. The flag of the Judiciary comprises horizontal red, cream and black bars and features the image of Lady Justice.

It will serve as a profound symbol of the court’s mission to uphold the rule of law, and its vision to encourage and maintain public trust and confidence through an independent, effective and accountable justice system.

Each element of the flag embodies the principles and the aspirations of the Judiciary, with the colors also representing the three levels – the Appellate, High and Magistrate’s Courts.

($277.9M Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court commissioned at Mabaruma)

---

• commissioned, court, judicial flag, Mabaruma

---