ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi said an in-house court is coming for the Maximum Security Prison (MSP), Arouca, in “short measure.”
He was speaking yesterday at the launch of Model Guidelines for Sexual Offence Cases in the Caribbean Region at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain. The guidelines were created by the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project in the Caribbean, an initiative of the Canadian government, and in collaboration with the Caribbean Court of Justice and regional judiciaries.
He said the Ministry of National Security, the Attorney General’s Office and the judiciary were planning the building of a full court at the MSP. They expect to open a video-conferencing facility shortly but are going a step further to put in a full court.
“It is not only common sense, it is value for money. We spend $80 million a year in transporting prisoners up and down TT, and I am very pleased to say that the judiciary already drafted the plans for the court, the Ministry of Works and Transport in-house division is settling upon the final arrangements, and we will see that court built in very short measure.”
He said the Government took note of comments during debate on the abolition of preliminary inquiries, which has been spoken about for 26 years, and he is hoping to have it in place by March.
He said the government recognised that the roll-out of sexual offences guidelines can only happen if the system is moving and the Family and Children Division sees the addition of 13 judges.
Courtesy: newsday.co.tt
