– New $220M Magistrates’ Court opens in Mahdia
A state-of-the-art magistrates’ court was commissioned on Friday, delivering access to the process of justice for the residents of Madhia and surrounding areas in Region Eight.
The $220 million courthouse features amenities and living quarters for magistrates and staff. The new court will expedite the resolution of civil, criminal and family disputes and help to resolve cases caught in a backlog.
The courthouse was constructed on more than three acres of land adjacent to the Guyana Police Force headquarters in Mahdia. Prior to the new building, the court operated within the cramped confines of 6 feet by 4 feet office at the Guyana Police Force quarters.
Crammed into the limited space, was a magistrate, defence counsel, prosecutor, and accused. Witnesses, families and other court observers were relegated to a shed outside the police station.
The new edifice has public waiting areas, audio/visual recording facilities, air conditioning, space for probation offices, a child-friendly room, a library and a resource centre.
“Prior to this new season, access to justice created some burden to persons. However, this edifice will help to ease that burden,” Senior Magistrate, Clive Nurse, expressed during the commissioning ceremony.
Magistrate Nurse will soon begin hearing cases at the new court.
“This means that access has become more convenient, less expensive and readily available in the footsteps of residents of Region Eight. This, no doubt, is one of the multitude of blessings that continually surround us,” he said.
Chancellor of the Judiciary, (ag) Madame Yonette Cummings-Edwards, said staffing for the court will come from both Georgetown and Mahdia.
“We have already received approval from the public service ministry to enlarge the court structure in this area and our principal personnel officer will return here to do the interviews and to have persons from this very town employed. Mahdia, this is yours and we will have staffing from right here,” she affirmed.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, outlined the significance and historical importance of the new courthouse.
With the recent openings of the Port Kaituma and Mahaicony Magistrates’ Courts, and the imminent opening of several others, Minister Nandlall recognised the rapid pace of development initiatives across all regions of the country.
Minister Nandlall highlighted several other ongoing projects that will expand the reach of justice, such as the construction of the $842.3 million Providence Magistrates’ Court, and the $489 million La Parfaite Harmonie Magistrates’ Court.
Additionally, works have already been completed on the $437 million Friendship Magistrates’ Court on the East Bank Demerara and the $253 million Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court in Region One. The $178 million Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court is slated to be completed in February.
AG Nandlall also mentioned works taking place on the Timehri, Cove and John and Suddie Magistrates’ Courts.
These multiple courts under construction and recently completed represent a more than $2.5 billion investment in strengthening the country’s legal infrastructure.
“The total figures for these few magistrates’ courts…when you accumulate them and aggregate them, would have totalled the national budget of several of our ministries combined not so long ago. What I have announced here is what lawyers, litigants and judges alike would have dreamt of,” the legal affairs minister noted.
The AG said the government is committed to ensuring equal and ready access to justice for all citizens, regardless of their location.
“That is part and parcel of that bundle of rights that are guaranteed to every citizen of this country by the constitution as fundamental rights and freedoms,” AG Nandlall said.
In addition to the enhancement of the physical legal infrastructure, the government is also working with the judiciary to improve the efficiency of the legal framework.
That is why technology is being incorporated into the judicial system so that it will soon be completely paperless.
“The entire government, and the entire public sector of our country will move towards digitisation and electronic transactions. We will have to implement e-payments across the public sector and also in the judiciary so that users can [conduct] financial business with commercial ease and use the financial mechanisms that are in force in the modern world to effect these transactions,” the attorney general explained.
The Diamond/Grove Magistrates’ Court on the East Bank Demerara became the first in the country to begin using an electronic court case management system in December 2023. (Department of Public Information)
