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‘Time to improve facilities @ the Courts!’ – Doug Wheatley

-called for a civil survey of the courts with a view to improving conditions
Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley is calling on the authorities to make better accommodations for persons who go to the John’s Hole Magistrate’s Court and other courts to answer charges or to be present for cases concerning them. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley is calling on the authorities to make better accommodations for persons who go to the John’s Hole Magistrate’s Court and other courts to answer charges or to be present for cases concerning them.

He was speaking on his radio show ‘Speak Out BVI’ heard on ZBVI 780 AM last week Tuesday October 28, 2014.

“I am saying this and I am hoping that it will get to the ears of persons who are in a position to do something about it and perhaps we might start a discussion as how we might improve the facilities physical and otherwise, of the Magistrate’s Court,” he said.

He spoke of an instance where he and other persons were made to wait hours upon hours in the most uncomfortable of accommodations before their cases came up.

“Perhaps through no fault of the Magistrate they probably had a full agenda in the docket and they were just really busy all day long and they just couldn’t succeed in dispensing with those matters until almost 5 pm and then they were able to call others in to have their matters handled,” he said.

“But in the meantime you find yourself sitting around on the outside of the Magistrate’s Court, you find a rock or a block that you can sit on and find an area of shade. It is kind of an awkward situation to be doing that for several hours as you wait for your matter to be heard,” he said.

“So I think a civil survey of our courts will be in order so that we can really pinpoint some of the difficulties we have been having. Perhaps we need to spend some more money to enlarge the building or improve seating or shelter,” he said.

He said too that sometimes persons have difficulty accessing the toilet facilities during their wait which would sometimes span hours on end. To make matters worse, persons are not allowed to have reading material to pass the time. According to Wheatley, they are asked to put away such material when in the court.

“If I’m in the Magistrate’s Court and there is nothing much happening, I might want to take out my newspaper and catch up with the news. But in fact you’re not allowed to do this…a Police Officer would approach you and tell you that you cannot be reading or making notes in here,” said Wheatley.

“Perhaps it is time to do something to make the situation much better. I have listened to many, many persons talk about this…even when you’re inside the seating is very limited and there is nothing much you can do,” he said.

 

9 Responses to “‘Time to improve facilities @ the Courts!’ – Doug Wheatley ”

  • preach (03/11/2014, 16:00) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    If I may add to your views the bathrooms have been out of order and locked since March of this year.
    • cay (03/11/2014, 22:53) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      what ah shame the NDP has turn the bvi into ah third world country
      • Jill (04/11/2014, 02:59) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        Yes. Court only started in 2011 and the buildings decreased in size, NDP took away the benches that were there for seating while one wait for his/her case to be heard. Interesting
  • x factor (03/11/2014, 16:06) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes he is right and the one up by the high school is even worst
  • facilities (03/11/2014, 17:18) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Facilities are the least. I work there from time to time. They need to build a new building, that thing is not a court! Neither is the one at High Court, that thing is for Parliament. While in proceedings at Magistrate's court you hear the toilet go off very loudly at the tank is refilling. The setting is so laid back in court itself, no precedent, no order. It drives me nuts. Very nonchalant, like a poppy-show! They can't come with that foolishness in the High Court though.
  • Local (03/11/2014, 23:00) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I encourage all members of the Legal fraternity to just boycott
  • Virgin Son (03/11/2014, 23:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    What do we all expect if we continue to re-elect the same old same old each go round.
  • blame (04/11/2014, 14:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @Cay. these problems were there when VIP was in power so why is it a NDP problem now. These have been ongoing issues at both Magistrate and Supreme court for years now. both parties have been in power and none of them did anything about the situation. Both VIP and NDP parties are to blame. So your comment does not make any sense.
  • wize up (04/11/2014, 23:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    !uck the courts; fix our schools first!!!!!


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