Operations at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court were briefly hindered yesterday because of intermittent power outages.
The first blackout was experienced at 10:40 hrs, causing acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to leave the bench. The prisoners were removed from the docks back to the holding facility on the lower flat.
The magistrate, who sits in Court One, later returned to the bench some 10 minutes later and continued working though the electricity had not been restored. Commenting that the room was “very dark,” the Magistrate nonetheless executed her duties.
The power failure caused the prosecutor and other police officers to remove the window curtains in an attempt to source whatever natural light they could from outside. However, because of persistent rainfall, which caused overcast conditions for most of the day, the courtroom remained gloomy.
It seemed there was no standby generator at the temporary court premises or if there was it appeared not to be in working condition. When this newspaper enquired whether there was in fact a generator, no one seemed to know.
Power was restored at 10:51 hrs, but soon it went off again at 11:01 hrs for 26 minutes. During this time the Magistrate, remained on the bench.
Lack of electricity was not the only problem experienced at the court yesterday. Persons who turned up for cases complained bitterly of being sent out of the building and having to wait on the street because of a lack of adequate seating accommodation.
There are fewer benches than persons with matters and as there are not many waiting areas, persons are usually sent out of the building as the police have orders that persons are not allowed to stand in and around the hallway of the building.
This order has been problematic as a number of persons standing outside complained that their cases were being called but they could not hear their names to present themselves before the respective magistrates.
Meanwhile efforts to get a comment on the issues from the Courts’ Superintendent were unsuccessful.
Georgetown Magistrate Courts one, two, three, five, eight and nine were relocated to the former Globe Trust building at 92 Middle Street Georgetown on Monday last to facilitate repairs to the structure at Avenue of the Republic, Brickdam and Croal Street.
A visibly dissatisfied man with whom this newspaper spoke said an arrest warrant had been issued for him when he was actually present for his case, but was ordered out of the building by a police officer as there were no seats available in the courtroom.
The man, who requested anonymity, said he explained to the officer that he was at court for a matter in which he had been granted bail and had promised the magistrate that he would have returned to court when required to do so. As a result, he wanted to be positioned where he would be able to hear his name.
The man said when he saw a number of persons leaving the building, he re-entered to secure a seat in the courtroom, but was told that court had been adjourned and the magistrate was preparing to leave for lunch.
The angry man told Stabroek News that when he approached the prosecutor and enquired about his case, he was told that he was absent when it was called and a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
The irate man went on to say that he tried to explain to the prosecutor that he had been ordered out of the building by the police and was unable to hear his name. However, he said, the prosecutor again responded, “yuh get arrest warrant.”
The man said that he hopes this issue will be speedily addressed by the relevant authorities and requested that officers go outside and call the names of persons who may not be fortunate to secure a seat in the courtroom.
Persons standing outside the building have difficulty hearing their names since the entire building is sealed and the windows are usually closed.
Meanwhile, the persons who are forced to stand outside the court are subject to the elements and yesterday many had to stand in the rain while others scampered for shelter at nearby buildings.
Many business owners in the environs are not pleased with droves of people converging on their premises.
According to acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh, the courts will be housed at the new location until further notice.
