Government Secures Temporary Housing for Westmoreland Parish Court

The Jamaican government has secured a temporary location for the Westmoreland Parish Court, which sustained significant damage from Hurricane Melissa. Justice Minister Delroy Chuck announced on Monday that a contract has been signed for a rental facility to house the court.

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I’m happy to report, Mrs [Trecia] Cameron Anglin, that the contract has been signed now and the keys, if you have not yet received it, will be passed on to you certainly early this week.

Chuck informed Trecia Cameron Anglin, Director/CEO of the Court Administration Division, that the keys to the temporary facility would be handed over early this week, despite some delays in finalizing the rental contract. The decision to seek temporary housing came after the government abandoned plans to refurbish the existing courthouse, deeming it too costly to repair the structure damaged by the hurricane and noting it had "outlived its useful life."

In addition to Westmoreland, the government is also in discussions to secure a temporary facility for the St. Elizabeth Parish Court, which was also severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa last October. Chuck expects a contract for this property to be signed within the next one to two weeks.

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We are in discussion and we expect a contract to be signed within the next week or two for that property.

These temporary accommodations are intended to provide short-term solutions while permanent courthouses are developed. Chuck revealed that Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth are among four parishes designated for new court construction over the next two years, with Trelawny and St. Ann also included in the plans. These projects will be managed under the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

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Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth are absolutely needed right away.

Speaking at the Judiciary of Jamaica’s eighth Strategic Management Retreat, Chuck expressed some disappointment that more new courts had not been built during his tenure as justice minister since 2016. He stated that his initial vision upon taking office was to replace several aging court facilities that needed more than just repairs.

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Let me say that after about 11 years as minister of justice, I am a little disappointed that it's the first I am not able to say that we have built so many courts which really my vision was when I came.