Hinds defends Govt

A massive power outage threatened to blackout the opening of the 2004/2005 law term yesterday. Minutes before Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma mounted the dais at the Convocation Hall at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain, to deliver the traditional opening of court speech, the electricity went out.  Although the building’s generators kicked in, it did not supply electricity for the operation of the public address system. Thirty minutes later, however, CJ Sharma thanked TTEC for responding to their call and switching electricity back on at the Hall of Justice. During the CJ’s  speech, he lashed out at the appalling prisons condition, especially at the Remand Yard, at the Royal Gaol in Port-of-Spain.

In an immediate response to the CJ’s comments, Junior Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, responsible for prisons, said he was in agreement with Sharma about prisons conditions, but emphasised that as he (Hinds) spoke, certain prison improvements were taking place.  He said there could not be an immediate improvement as called for by the CJ, but certain improvements were taking place and would continue. He said one of the handicaps at Remand Yard was space. He said Government was treating these poor prison conditions as urgent. He suggested that one way the youths can help improve prison conditions was to desist from committing crimes; and restrain themselves  when provoked, so that the cells would not become overcrowded.   

Earlier during the church service at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Iya Amoye, vice chairman of the National Council of Orisha Elders, delivered the sermon. She called for fairness and ethics in the profession. The proceedings were officiated over by Rev Colin Sampson, Dean-Designate, of the Church. The closing blessing was given by Rev Cyril Paul, president of the Inter-Religious Organisation. The St Augustine Chorale, under the direction of Lenore Mahase-Samaroo, did choir duty during the service. After the service, CJ Sharma inspected a guard of honour made up only of Coast Guard members.