St Thomas lawyers continue protest

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

Lawyers who practise in St Thomas yesterday boycotted the St Thomas Circuit Court sitting for a second day.

On Monday, the lawyers and concerned citizens in the parish demonstrated against the Government's tardiness in building a courthouse in the parish.

Lawyers, accused persons, witnesses and the police have had to journey to Kingston for more than four years to attend court.

This is because the Morant Bay courthouse was gutted by fire in February 2007.

The lawyers have been complaining of the great hardship being experienced to journey into Kingston.

News received

While they were protesting on Monday during the official opening of the Hilary session of the St Thomas Circuit Court, they received news that the Government had signed a $45-million contract for the construction of a temporary building for a courthouse.

The lawyers continued their protest yesterday because they said it was not the first time that the Government had promised to build a courthouse.

Cases scheduled for trial had to be put off to other dates.

One of the lawyers said they were going to attend court today to outline their problems to the judge but it was not likely that they would be taking part in any trials.

After the courthouse was destroyed by fire, trials were held for a short time at the Yallahs Resident Magistrate's courthouse.

Following complaints that the Yallahs courthouse did not have enough space, cases for the circuit court were transferred to the Home Circuit Court in Kingston.

Proceedings have been disrupted on several occasions because lawyers refused to attend court as a mark of protest against the Government's tardiness in providing a courthouse.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com