The Supreme Court of Judicature is moving ahead with plans for the restart of criminal trials which have been on hold since the Coronavirus pandemic took hold in March of this year.
A statement today from the Supreme Court of Judicature follows:
Press Release
The Supreme Court of Judicature
Protocol and Communications Unit
Health and Safety
Georgetown, Guyana-(October 02, 2020) The Judiciary of Guyana in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Covid-19 Task Force has been working assiduously to facilitate the safe resumption of jury trials for the October Session of the Demerara Assizes.
This partnership which started since the onset of the COVID Pandemic, has seen discussions on health and safety protocols for the Courts, its staff, attorneys-at-law, jurors and all court users. To this end, there has been the assignment of Community Health Officers to the Judiciary to do temperature screening and related health care associated with the prevention) and spread of the corona virus. These community Health workers are stationed at the entrances to many courts, particularly in Region 3, 4, 6, and 10.It has also yielded medical advice, information visits and care and the provision of supplies to court staff and users over the past six months.
During the month of September, 2020, officials from the Ministry of Health and the National COVID 19 Task Force met with the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, Justice Brassington Reynolds, Justice Nareshwar Harnanan and Mrs Sueanna Lovell, Registrar of the Supreme Court. The high level team comprised Col Nazrul Hussain, Head of the Covid-19 Task Force, Dr. Karen Boyle, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Colin James, Head of the Emergency Response Unit.
Discussions were had with the team and inspection was done of the existing facilities for criminal trials with the jury. The layout of the courts along with the installation of plexiglass, transparent screens around fixtures and furniture and proposed physical distancing of the judge, court staff, prosecuting and defence counsel, and jurors in the courtrooms have been approved.
Discussions also centered around sanitation protocols.
The Ministry facilitated the visit of another team of officials and sanitisation of all the courts and court offices at the High Court was done on October 1, 2020.
The resumption of jury trials guidelines were shared with the Team and have been considered to be acceptable and on par with international best practices.
The Ministry of Health and the Supreme Court wish to assure court users that all necessary public health arrangements for the safe conduct of criminal trials are in place.
The Supreme Court will continue this invaluable collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Task Force to ensure that all courts throughout the length and breadth of Guyana are safe for all.
