Law Association raises concerns about waterfront judicial centre in Port of Spain

Tower D of the International Waterfront Centre is also the Waterfront Judicial Centre. - File photo

The Law Association has written to the Chief Justice highlighting members’ concerns about inadequate facilities at the Waterfront Judicial Centre, Port of Spain. The letter, sent August 11, followed a survey conducted among members between July 27 and August 1.

Members cited insufficient or costly parking, lack of amenities such as cafeterias, restrooms, lounges and seating, inadequate private consultation spaces, accessibility challenges for stakeholders including those with disabilities, and inadequate courtroom sizes and numbers. The association's president Lynette Seebaran-Suite, SC, assured members that LATT has consistently raised concerns about timelines and efficiency of access to the Judiciary’s services and vowed to continue lobbying for change.

In her letter to Chief Justice Ivor Archie, she said, “I write to bring these primary concerns to your attention and to request your urgent action in addressing these issues with the aim of improving the quality of facilities made available to members and increasing access to justice for all stakeholders.”

Seebaran-Suite asked for feedback on how an action plan can be implemented by the Judiciary to address the concerns, which, she said, affected the administration of justice.

Tower D of the Waterfront Centre on Wrightson Road was officially designated the Waterfront Judicial Centre in September 2022. The designation, published in the Gazette, stated that the ground floor to the 13th floor, excluding the 12th, was reserved for sittings of the Supreme Court. The centre houses the civil division of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

The building was previously occupied by the Parliament from 2011 to 2020 while restoration work was carried out at the Red House. In 2019, it was announced that the Judiciary would take possession of 13 floors at Tower D once Parliament vacated. The Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago oversaw outfitting of the new location with input from the Judiciary.

The concerns over the centre coincide with mounting criticism of the Judiciary’s use of police stations as virtual courtrooms. Police and government officials said the arrangement has disrupted investigations and ID parades.

“When we visited to understand the question of virtual courtrooms, we saw first-hand that the police are totally discommoded,” Justice Minister Devesh Maharaj said after an August 18 walk-through at the Besson Street Police Station in Port of Spain. “The ID parade room, which victims and police need for investigations, is now unusable because it has been converted. Officers are forced to travel as far as Barataria or La Horquetta for parades. It’s highly irregular and very inconvenient.”

Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander and permanent secretaries accompanied Maharaj. Both ministers pledged to explore short-term solutions and scheduled further visits, including one to the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court on August 20.

Inspector Joel Braithwaite, officer in charge of the Besson Street station, echoed the concerns, noting that the station serves three police divisions. “Rooms that were once used for interviews and ID parades have been repurposed. Now we have no proper facilities,” he said. “This station services three divisions, and all prisoners must use one computer for virtual hearings. Where previously we could have 10 courts in a day, now only one case at a time can be heard.”

The Judiciary has defended its virtual court policy, saying it was designed to reduce costs, improve efficiency and ensure early access to justice. It stressed that police stations are not being “converted into courtrooms,” but only used to place accused persons before judicial officers via computer.

It did not immediately respond to questions on the readiness of the Port of Spain Magistrates Court.