A recent tour of courthouses in St Mary highlighted the many problems that plague court facilities islandwide. For example, members of the public who use the Richmond Courthouse increasingly have to rely on the kindness of police personnel, whose station shares premises with the court, to access restroom facilities as there are none provided for the public.

A similar situation exists at the Annotto Bay Courthouse which also lacks public sanitary conveniences. In addition, whenever it rains, conversation in that courthouse becomes almost inaudible because of the loud noise of the water on the roof. The Annotto Bay Courthouse also suffers from lack of seating as over time damaged furniture has not been replaced.

Termite infested

Sections of the wooden flooring also need repairing as termites have infested the wood, leaving holes in the floor, which are large enough to cause spike-heeled shoes to get stuck. And the situation is getting worse.

Port Maria-based attorney-at-law Veroneeth McKenzie, who prac-tises at all the courthouses in St Mary, says based on her assessment, she would grade the condition of courthouses in the parish at B plus.

"I visited Buff Bay (courthouse) and that's when you realise you are truly blessed on this side. I would give St Mary a B plus," she remarked.

No telephone

"There are no sockets to use laptops and there is no telephone," McKenzie explained, referring to Gayle Courthouse.

The conditions highlighted are not unique to St Mary but exist across the island.