Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 15, 2020 (SKNIS): Diana Francis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, informed the general public that Magistrate’s Court will resume on Monday, 18th May 2020.
PS Francis said that due to the nature of operations at the Magistrate’s Court several safety measures are currently in place for when it resumes.
“Court hearings require the physical presence of parties and their representatives. The challenges facing everyone involved in the litigation in the courts during this period of the COVID-19 Pandemic are unprecedented,” she said. “The Magistrate’s Court as an institution must react to the present COVID-19 by employing new measures to facilitate its daily operations.
The permanent secretary said that the Court is currently working a skeleton staff to ensure that everyone is protected and does not contract the disease.
“At present, the Magistrate’s Court has reduced its working hours to prevent the spread of the virus. The office is opened to the public for business and is manned by a skeleton staff from 8 am to 4 pm Monday’s to Thursday’s and 8 am to 3 pm on Fridays,” said Ms. Francis.
“The workplace is kept clean and hygienic throughout the workday and surfaces of desk and computers will be wiped and disinfected periodically. Promotion of regular and thorough washing of hands by employees, litigants and representatives, are employed. Posters are displayed in prominent areas to sensitize the public on the importance of hand washing and other COVID-19 preventative protocols,” Ms. Francis added, while giving remarks at the May 14 edition of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing.