An ambulance had to be summoned to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts complex yesterday after a witness suffered a mild stroke while giving evidence, raising concerns about the absence of a medical outpost at the facility.
Colin Stewart was in the witness box in the court of Magistrate Judy Latchman when he fell ill.
It was later reported to Stabroek News by a relative that the man had suffered a mild stroke.
Stewart made his way to the door of the courtroom unassisted and just as he exited he alerted his friend, who was sitting outside, to catch him before he fell.
The unwell man sat on a bench outside the courtroom in a slouched position with his head propped on the shoulders of his friend, who was also at court at the time to testify in the same case.
The man’s friend, who by this time had called for the ambulance, lamented the length of time it would have taken the vehicle to get from the Georgetown Public Hospital to the court, owing to the heavy traffic build-up which is a norm in the city at midday.
The ambulance arrived about 30 minutes after it was summoned.
Stewart, meanwhile, was covered in beads of heavy perspiration and was panting for breath while requesting that his belt be slackened and that his shoe laces be untied. His speech slurred, he also complained of not seeing and being unable to feel or move his right leg.
His friend’s concerns about the time it took the ambulance to arrive were echoed by scores of curious onlookers who had gathered and they appealed for the relevant authorities to consider placing a medical facility at the courts complex to deal with such issues.
In the past, persons have collapsed, fainted or fallen ill at court.
The friend, who requested anonymity, expressed shock at Stewart’s suddenly falling ill, especially since he was in good health all the time.
He also opined that an emergency ramp to facilitate wheelchairs and trollies should be affixed to the court building to accommodate the smooth movement of sick persons desiring such aid as it took some time for the emergency team to transport Stewart from the upper flat of the court building down to the ambulance.
The fact that the ambulance was parked outside on the road led the man to suggest also making one of the three entrances to the court an emergency entrance, since the prison van was in its usual parking spot in the court compound when the ambulance arrived.
Stewart’s brother, who also requested anonymity, supported the friend’s comments, saying that implementing such safety measures would not benefit only persons who have matters at the court but all officers and workers of the court, including the magistrates.
He stressed that “anyone at any time” could fall ill and public institutions need to be always equipped to deal with such issues.
The man pointed out that just the way an ambulance and doctors had been placed at the Public Buildings during parliamentary sittings, the same should be done for the courts.
When Stabroek News visited the hospital later yesterday afternoon, Stewart’s brother informed that he was being attended to by doctors in the emergency room and that he was stable and “coming around.” He said that Stewart suffered a mild stroke.
Meanwhile efforts to get a comment on the incident from Registrar of the Supreme Court, Rashid Mohamed proved futile.
