$449.6 million Friendship Magistrate’s Court commissioned

The new Friendship Magistrate’s Court on the East Bank Demerara (EBD), built at a cost of $449.6 million, was commissioned today.

The building will serve the community and its surrounding areas, eliminating the need for residents to endure long commutes to the Providence Magistrate’s Court and later, the Diamond-Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court, to address their legal matters.

It will cater to the growing East Bank population, providing services to persons from Craig on the East Bank Demerara as far as Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

“This court has now joined the Diamond-Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court within the EBD magisterial district and will also provide access to justice for all from Craig to Long Creek,” Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, who chaired the proceedings, told the gathering.

She continued: “It is clear that the EBD has a growing population. According to the Bureau of Statistics, the population size in 2012 from Eccles to Long Creek was 59,243, and from Craig to Long Creek, 18,267.”

Using this data, she highlighted that the Friendship Magistrate’s Court will cover cases from approximately 31 per cent of the population on the EBD, adding that over 200 cases have already been assigned to the new court.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in his feature address, noted that there are now over 50 courts across the country, with many being newly built structures in both traditional and emerging locations.

“We no longer have old court buildings in Guyana. We have over 50 court buildings across the country, and apart from the High Court structures, which are old but in pristine condition and designated heritage buildings, all the Magistrates’ Courts and other court buildings are newly constructed,” he stated.

The Attorney General stressed the importance of constructing adequate facilities to ensure justice is accessible to all citizens, regardless of location. He also noted that while other sectors were forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic, this was not an option for the judicial system.

As a result, the legal system had to implement innovative measures to ensure continued access to justice, including the digitalisation of services and the decentralisation of courthouses. He further announced that the next EBD courthouse will be constructed in the Soesdyke-Timehri area.

The new courthouse is equipped with magistrates’ live-in quarters, chambers, and other modern amenities.

Attorney General Anil Namdlall speaking at the commissioning 

A section of the gathering