Lawyers protest poor court conditions

SEVERAL MATTERS in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court were affected yesterday as attorneys protested poor conditions.  Several of the lawyers stayed away and the few in attendance clearly stated their intentions.

The protest was led by attorney and Princes Town MP Subhas Panday who made his  voice heard before Magistrate Mark Wellington in the First Court. Panday explained that the action was taken because conditions at the Court had become unbearable. He noted that two former Attorneys General, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Glenda Morean, had said “Police must sacrifice, magistrates must sacrifice, clerks and the administration must sacrifice, we are all in this together. “Policemen are disciplined when  prisoners escape but the conditions are poor. The area that is now the cellblock was once a  toilet, they put the policemen in a toilet.”

Magistrate Wellington exp-ressed his disagreement and  spoke of the probable consequences  for prisoners. He warned, “Don’t blame me if there is a riot.” Last year on three occasions protest action was taken by  lerical staff at the Court over the poor conditions. Leaking roofs and rotting  furniture feature among the many problems  which  continuously and increasingly make conditions difficult at the San Fernando Court. Riots by  prisoners have been common as some police officers complain of a manpower shortage. Panday said the attorneys would meet  today to decide on further action.