The sod was turned yesterday for a $304m magistrate’s court at Timehri.
Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC, Chancellor of Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George SC and Senior Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs did the honours.
A release from the ministry said that the $304m contract for the construction of the courthouse was awarded to Orion Engi-neering Inc. by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) after a public tender.
The building will encompass a courtroom, magistrate’s chambers, living quarters for a magistrate and a clerk of court, washroom facilities, parking facilities and a perimeter fence. This court will deal with cases arising out of the lower East Bank area, all the way up to Silvertown. The project is expected to be completed by September, 2024.
Present at the ceremony were staff of the Supreme Court, the contractor Benson Simon and Puran Ram, a representative of the engineers for the project.
In her remarks, the Chancellor expressed deep gratitude to the Attorney General for assisting in securing the plot of land from the Government of Guyana and thanked it for financing the project.
“This is yet another demonstration of the Government’s commitment to the Rule of Law and in ensuring access to justice by the citizens,” she said, according to the release.
