High Court Registry Staff moved to alternative office!
The face masks were necessary because of the dust and mold.
Added to the unsafe conditions were open roof holes, exposed electrical wires in the office building and crumbling materials in the office surroundings, even where the Chief Registrar of the Virgin Islands Court, Mrs Erica Smith-Penn sits.
After our story had brought shame and light to these third world conditions, pressure was brought to bear on the usually reactive National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration.
Finally they moved but!
Over the past two weeks, some of the staff members have been relocated to an alternate office in the same building where the commercial registry is housed. Others have been placed in a building used by the Social Development Department next to the BVI Red Cross Headquarters in upper Road Town.
However, some employees are required to return to the dust infested, mold riddled and unsafe office building to retrieve files and other documents associated with the High Court Registry functions.
It is unclear if when the workers return they have to still wear face masks or when will a permanent office space be ready for the High Court Registry.
The Governor lashed out at NDP on the situation
Governor John S. Duncan OBE, while speaking at a government ceremony on February 13, 2017 lashed out at the NDP. Some described his actions as public humiliation of the NDP.
His Excellency the Governor told the Public in the presence of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) that it does seem to him that the Virgin Islands is happy to spend money on the Commercial Court, happy to spend money on the Arbitration Court, “but there is a Magistrate’s Court which is not really fit for purpose.”
"We have had to move the Registry staff of the High Court into new premises because their premises were not fit for purpose," he forcefully stated.
The Governor continued his blasting of the government at the same public event by saying, “It could be said that we spend more money on expatriate legal services than we do for our own legal people.”
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29 Responses to “High Court Registry Staff moved to alternative office!”
Under the NDP the country is in disarray, so naturally it shouldn't be any surprise that after 6 years plus of a failed Administration, all they could do now is spend time doing serious damage control.
Now that most of the cobwebs are still NOT cleared out, we expect this administration to hit the ground running after the budget pass next week, as we would like to see some major positive changes in the country sooner than later, especially in the areas of employment and crime reduction.
Please people stop putting you'll health at risk - for these leaders don't seem to care about us. These environments need to be tested for Formaldehyde Contamination if those ceiling panels have been retaining moisture; in particularly if they came out of China.
Formaldehyde is known to cause serious respiratory problems and cancers in the long run from prolong exposure.
Please VINO, you need to visit our elected representatives' offices and take picture of their work environments and see if they too are exposured to the same type of conditions. What they consider ok for us to work in all this time should be just as fitting for them to work in as well. Let us all see the hypocrisy in this place. We beg!
It is gross neglect to let a historical land mark to deteriorate to such a condition. Further, it is poor investment in protecting taxpayers assets. The underfunding has undermined the maintenance and repair and thus the use, function, reliability........etc of this historical building, affecting public health and safety, employee productivity.....etc.
The Old Admin Bldg is one of the oldest building on Main Street and should be preserved and protected; if it is not already so, Main Street should be designated a historical district. Everything old should not be discarded; somethings need to be preserved for the use, enjoyment, study.....etc of current and future generations. Thus, the first order of business is to protect the bldg from the elements, i.e., rain. Next a condition assessment should be conducted. And the necessary investment made to bring the building up to safe and healthful operational standards. To the maximum extent practical, the building original features should be maintained.