The Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts are slated to begin evening sessions from Monday.
A notice was this week placed on the doors of all of the city’s lower courts advising the public of the additional sittings. Notices have also been placed in the daily newspapers.
According to the notice, signed by acting Chancellor Carl Singh, beginning Monday, October 10, night court sessions will be held from 3pm to 8pm until further notice.
Although it was not made clear how many of the courts would be sitting, Stabroek News was told that minor cases are expected to be dealt with during these sessions.
The city courts will continue to hold regular morning sittings, which would run from 9am to 2.30pm.
The implementation of the evening sessions is intended to tackle the case backlog that is partly responsible for prison overcrowding.
The proposal was announced in March after a fire at the Camp Street Prison claimed the lives of 17 inmates. The government had met with the judiciary on the backlog in the aftermath of the fire and complaints by prisoners about delays in the disposal of cases.
Also proposed were the appointment of temporary magistrates to preside over the additional sessions. It is unclear whether these appointments have been made.
In an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan had said the idea of temporary magistrates was put forward by Singh during a meeting. He said the Chancellor suggested that this measure be used over a period of at least six months.
Ramjattan had also stated then that a recent report on the judicial system had been completed and would form the basis for action. He also disclosed that the report also looked at prisoners who could be given probation or community service for less severe sentences.
The Minister added that the temporary magistrates would be qualified lawyers who would serve in addition to the sitting magistrates.
The cost of these and other measures, including salaries for the temporary magistrates and ancillary staff, had been estimated to about $25 million dollars, GINA said.
