The Magistrates’ Courts, which have not functioned at full capacity over the last few months because of COVID-19, are now fully ready to carry out their work of dispensing justice.
That’s according to Chief Magistrate, Candia Carette George who also announced that strict guidelines as established by the Ministry of Health will be enforced for entry into the court.
“The Ministry of Health re COVID -19 protocols will be followed. Therefore, persons wishing to access the Magistrate Courts including police officers, lawyers, witnesses, defendants and the general public will be required to sanitize their hands, have their temperature taken, and be wearing a mask before they are allowed entry,” Carette-George stated.
“Persons with a high temperature or those who are obviously ill will not be allowed to enter the Magistrate Courts. To ensure that the 6ft physical distancing, as recommended by the Ministry of Health is maintained, persons will only be allowed to enter the courtroom when the case they are involved in is being heard,” the Chief Magistrate warned.
Carette-George also made it clear that people who were summoned to appear before the Magistrate Courts recently must be present.
“If you were warned or summoned to be at court for any date from the 8th of June 2020 and beyond, you must be present on your scheduled date,” she advised.
Persons who had matters slated to be heard between 24th March 2020 and 5th June 2020 and missed these dates are now required to call the Magistrate Court’s offices so as to receive new dates.
The Magistrate Courts in Portsmouth and Roseau can be reached at telephone numbers 445 5234 and 266 3775 respectively.
The Chief Magistrate is asking for the full cooperation of everyone in ensuring access to justice for all in a safe environment.
Now the Magistrates’ Courts “are now fully ready to carry out their work of dispensing justice” there is a pressing need to stop wasting people’s time.
If a Magistrate is going to be on scheduled leave or has been sick for weeks, why hold Court just to inform the parties that the Court is being rescheduled? Why not contact the parties by phone to cancel the session? Why schedule a court session when a relevant Magistrate will be on leave, in the first place?
It appears that no one in the court system is held accountable for the emotional and financial frustrations endured by those seeking justice. I know of someone who was wrongly arrested, had his human rights abused, then had a wrongful case brought against him. He incurs financial loses each time he appears at a Court session, which has been postponed each time for a foreseen reason. This has gone on for over a year. I understand that this situation is common. It is not right and very unjust. This cannot be proper law…
Was this court ever functional in the last 12 years? It is actually an embarrassment to our nation. The same goes for those people that ‘work’ in it and because of their continued silence facilitate the wrong doings that prevail in DA at present. All you are being paid to uphold the law of Dominica not to close your eyes and ears firmly shut and pretend all is well. All of that in fear of loosing that pay cheque at the end of each month. Who deserves you loyalty? Your country or the people that abuse your country?????