DESPITE COMMENDABLY rapid response by the Fire Brigade service, the historic Port Antonio courthouse has suffered serious damage caused by a fire, suspected to have been set by an arsonist. Some 80 per cent of the court records were destroyed. The roof has caved in and this vandalism is all the more shameful because the
courthouse building itself is of such architectural merit and historical pedigree, it has been declared a heritage site by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.
Michael Lee Chin, chairman of National Commercial Bank, himself a native son of Portland, had recently announced plans to restore the Port Antonio courthouse to its original splendour as part of his ongoing philanthropic activities in the parish. It remains to be seen whether the damage done by the fire is so extensive as to make restoration impracticable or whether, in fact, it might accelerate
Mr. Chin's restoration plans. We hope the latter will be the case.
The courthouse blaze raises another matter of concern, namely the number of incidents in which evidence is destroyed that might be marshalled against persons accused of criminality when they are brought to trial. The similar destruction of evidence by a fire at the Denham Town Police Station, resulted in part, in the acquittal in the Janice Allen case. The courthouse in Spanish Town also fell victim to an apparent arson attack and suffered considerable damage.
Some means must be found to put a stop to this subversion of the justice system. Ideally, all court records should be computerised and back-up tapes stored off-site. This is accepted practice in the private sector to ensure proper protection of accounting and company records. Another approach might be the use of vaults or record rooms constructed to be fire-resistant for a certain amount of time, allowing firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
One way or the other, arson must not be allowed to put another nail in the coffin of the Jamaican justice system. Whatever steps are needed to protect court records must be put in place as soon as
possible. Delay will only encourage further attempts to use fire as a means of avoiding prosecution.
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