With the roof “leaking like a basket” and zinc sheets flapping in the breeze, the dispensation of justice in some courts is subject to the weather.
In several of Guyana’s Magistrate’s courts, the state of the buildings leave no choice but for proceedings to be adjourned during the rainy weather as the leaking roof and flapping zinc sheets make it all but impossible to be heard.
This newspaper was present on several occasions at various courts when a recess was called because of the rain drumming on the roof of the courts. The magistrates have called attention to the issue several times.
At the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court on the West Demerara, zinc sheets have fallen off the roof while several flap around in the breeze creating a din and disrupting the court. “Leaking like a basket” was how one counsel described the state of the roof. Apart from that, at that very court, some of the windows are without panes.
Magistrate Fazil Azeez, who presides at that court, has oftentimes expressed his disgust with the situation. The magistrate was also forced to park his car away from the court because of the falling zinc sheets. Other persons have also expressed concern at the state of affairs there.
At the Wales Magistrate’s Court also on the West Demerara, the roof leaks whenever it rains heavily. One of the leaks is directly over the witness box while there are more in other sections of the courtroom where persons sit. Some panes from the windows are missing also.
At the Providence Magistrate’s Court on the East Bank Demerara, the roof leaks also and the drumming of the raindrops on the roof sometimes forces a recess to be called as it is impossible to be heard.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the issue has been brought to the attention of those responsible but nothing has been done.
Security is becoming a concern at some of the courts too as last week the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, West Coast Demerara was broken into, reportedly by a vagrant. The vagrant scattered some documents and rearranged the furniture and damaged a window.
Additionally, at that very court there is no running water even though water tanks were placed there in 2006. Two toilets for the public’s use were also built in 2006 reportedly at a cost of $1.7M but never worked, this newspaper was told. This reporter was shown what happens when those toilets are flushed. Water was fetched from the tanks which are close by and poured into one of the toilet bowls. Inexplicably, it comes out through the other toilet bowl emitting a nauseating smell. The water comes out with quite a force, spurting from the bowl. The public does not use them.
At the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court in Berbice last year, rain had forced an adjournment of the court, because the water was entering through some latticework although this has since been fixed.
The unused public toilets at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court. When one is flushed, the water comes out of the other bowl.
