Staff protest locks down Westmoreland courts office

Western Bureau:

Operations at the Westmoreland courts office in Savanna-la-Mar were brought to a standstill on Monday after members of the staff failed to report for duty, citing poor and unsafe working conditions arising from damage left behind by Hurricane Melissa.

Attorney-at-law Lambert Johnson, former president of the Cornwall Bar Association, said he was caught off guard when he turned up at the facility only to find out he could not access the building.

“This morning I woke up and came to work, and my staff advised me that the gates to the courts office were closed,” he told The Gleaner. “When I made enquiries, I was advised that the members of staff are not here today.”

According to Johnson, the absence of staff is rooted in long-standing concerns about the environment in which they are expected to work.

Since the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October, many workers have reportedly been operating out of cramped containers not suited for the number of people assigned.

“Containers are designed to hold up to eight or 10 members of staff, and we have approximately 30 members of staff,” he said, noting that employees have also raised concerns about rodents, heat, and general sanitation.

According to him, the damaged building continues to deteriorate with each passing day.

“It has come to my attention that there is mould in the building ... even though they have put tarpaulin on top of the buildings, you can see that the tarpaulins are now disintegrating, and so the building is being further deteriorated with every passing shower of rain.”

Johnson further expressed frustration at what he described as a lack of urgency in addressing the issue, especially given the critical role the courts play in society. He also pointed out that other government entities once housed in the same compound have since been relocated to improved facilities.

“The municipal council (the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation) has received their own magnificent edifice, [and] the police now have a rather magnificent structure,” said Johnson. “So, the only entity that has been left to suffer ... is the courts office.”

HALT TO JUSTICE SYSTEM

The disruption has also significantly impacted the justice system, with no trials being held for months.

“There are no trials going on since the hurricane, so this is almost six months, no trials,” he said. “The work of the court is backing up.” In the interim, some matters have been redirected to the courthouse in Whithorn, but Johnson said the arrangement is far from adequate.

“Instead of having three judges sitting, you have one judge ... . It causes the day to be extended from 10 to 4 to maybe 10 to 6, 10 to 7, and I’ve known the court sitting up to 9 p.m.,” he said. “It is very inconvenient; it is very insufficient.”

While Johnson made it clear he is not directly affiliated with the court staff, he expressed support for their stance.

“I would expect that as soon as they would get some solid word as to when there will be some resolution of the critical issues ... that would hasten the return of the members of staff,” he said. “They are hard-working, they are dedicated, they are committed.”

Members of the public, however, are feeling the effects of the disruption.

One woman, who said she has visited the court four times in recent months, described her frustration after once again finding the office closed.

“Four times I come here, it’s always something. They close early, this and that,” she said. “All I’m trying to do is ... update my file, and they’re closed.”

Visibly upset, she added: “It’s a waste of my gas, waste of my time, waste of everything.”

She also raised broader concerns about inefficiencies within the justice system.

“No system ... talks to each other,” she said. “I had a friend ... they lost her file ... she had to drop the charges, so this man go free. The system is broken.”

Johnson echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the situation extends beyond inconvenience and speaks to a deeper issue affecting access to justice.

“Justice is central to the fabric of our community,” he said. “On behalf of not only the courts office, but the people of Westmoreland, we deserve better.”

He added that the Westmoreland Bar stands firmly in support of the court administration and its staff as they push for improved working conditions.

A statement from the Court Administrative Division yesterday acknowledged the concerns of staff, sayng that their safety is of paramount importance and that efforts are under way to address the issues.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com