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alexk
Guest
Justice is taking some “heat”.
The air conditioning at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, hasn’t been working to the point that the acting Chief Justice has agreed to stagger staff working hours so no-one is required to be in the building for more than two hours.
This development was confirmed in a memo from the Registrar of the High Court issued to judges and masters of the High Court.
Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen read out the memo during yesterday’s Senate sitting, saying personnel have been operating without air-conditioning for the last six months. Ramdeen also pointed out that public toilets on three floors are out of order.
Ramdeen spoke about the issues during debate on a bill to create a District Criminal and Traffic Court. He said while Government was focusing on getting this new court in operation, the administration of justice was currently being hampered because issues which need to be fixed urgently were not being addressed.
Ramdeen said the Registrar’s memo also stated the situation with the air conditioning at the Hall of Justice is still being addressed and rostering of staff - in the staggered hours arrangement - was at the discretion of the respective supervisors.
Detailing how some courts are operating, he added, “Judges in the Court of Appeal say ‘you can take off your robes’, assistants had to bring in two Lasco fans to cool the court.”
He said adjournments are costing T&T more than air conditioning units, “but here we are saying ‘let’s create another court’ when even the air conditioning at the Hall of Justice doesn’t work.”
He questioned why the Attorney General and Chief Justice couldn’t get together to find the $1.5 million needed to fix the Hall of Justice’s issues.
Ramdeen also took issue with sections of the bill which gave the Court Executive Administrator, Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne, the power of a deputy permanent secretary to hire contract workers. He said this is normally done by the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and could affect workers who served in the post for years and their promotion chances. Ramdeen said the proposed court would create a parallel special purpose entity that would bypass the JLSC and Public Service Commission.
Noting that Morris-Alleyne and the Chief Justice were on the International Institute for Justice Excellence, Ramdeen said the two people in charge of the judiciary were on the international body, “and what they’re doing there, we want them to do here.”