The Fort Wellington Magis-trate’s Court was finally opened yesterday with Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh charging the magistrate, lawyers and staff to ensure that it functions effectively.
The Chancellor also said that the “users of the court have a role to play to ensure that these courts functions effectively” and if it is their perception that that is not the case they are entitled to complain. At the simple opening ceremony for the commissioning of the building which was completed more than two years ago, the Chancellor promised to be receptive to the complaints providing they are not “fabricated or malicious.”
He said that “If you tell me that a magistrate is stumbling out of a rum shop drunk; if you tell me that a magistrate adjourns court at ten ‘o clock and there were 40 cases left to be heard and he travels straight to a rum shop… I want to hear… I’m interested in hearing that.”
Chancellor Singh reminded Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop who is assigned to the West Berbice courts that he has a “serious responsibility placed on his shoulders” and had no doubt that the magistrate would live up to the expectations.
He also remarked that the supervisory responsibilities of Principal Magistrate Krishndat Persaud have also been extended to the West Berbice Magisterial District.
He was very grateful to Regional Chairman of Region Five, Harrinarine Baldeo and his councillors for being patient while the court occupied a building belonging to the region for several years instead of a few weeks.
West Berbice was made a magisterial district earlier this year and residents are happy that they would now have the opportunity to “pay fines and uplift bail money right here. We had to pay extra money to travel to New Amsterdam to do that but now it would be easy for us.”
The residents said too that they were very uncomfortable at the old building as there was no proper seating accommodation and that during rainy weather the compound was very messy.
At the new court, they said they would no longer have to worry about that.
Baldeo told this newspaper that he too was happy that the court was finally opened and expects that litigants would make full use of it. The chairman hopes too that the “workers would perform efficiently and professionally to ensure that the public gets the service it deserves.”
Further, he said, “It is a great relief that the region would get back its building and we plan to restore it to its normal use…”
In an invited comment, Magistrate Ramroop said that the new court which is a significant addition would certainly help to expedite matters. He said too that now that it has finally been opened he would “make the maximum use of it… I am looking forward to serving the district.”
Also attending the ceremony were Magistrate Melissa Robertson and lawyers of the Berbice Bar Association.
