Sharma in dark about Govt’s Red House plan

CHIEF JUSTICE Sat Sharma said yesterday he was “in the dark” about a final decision by Government regarding Parliament’s relocation from the Red House and how that would affect the court system in Port-of-Spain.

Newsday exclusively reported yesterday that Government had taken a firm decision to relocate Parliament from the Red House in order to make way for the Office of the Prime Minister to be located there. A permanent site for Parliament is reportedly designated in the heart of the capital, in an area close to the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court but Government sources have given the assurance that Parliament’s relocation will not involve demolition of the Magistrates’Court. Some $38 million was spent to refurbish the court under the former UNC government.

When contacted yesterday, CJ Sharma said he did not know how true this report was because he has not been consulted by the Executive on this issue recently. “I will have to wait and see,” Sharma told Newsday. He added that while he met recently with Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith, the matter “remains in abeyance.” Sharma said while he was promised to be consulted on Parliament’s relocation and its effects on the courts’ operation, that consultation had yet to materialise.

The CJ expressed hope that before any final decision was made on Parliament’s location, there would be “meaningful consultation” with the Judiciary. Sharma recalled that a considerable sum of money was spent to have the PoS Magistrates’ Court “tailor-made” for the purpose of delivering justice and it would be unfortunate if its operations were negatively impacted by the relocation of Parliament from the Red House.