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Court of Appeal Expansion on Track

By: , May 27, 2018

The Key Point:

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says the project to expand the Court of Appeal building on King Street in downtown Kingston is progressing smoothly.
Court of Appeal Expansion on Track
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (second right), points out something of interest to Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska; and Building Project Consultant at the Justice Ministry, Vivian Gordon. Occasion was Thursday’s (May 24) tour of the building being renovated to accommodate new courtrooms for the Court of Appeal on King Street, downtown Kingston.

The Facts

  • In April, Minister Chuck signed an $846-million contract to undertake the project, which will see the addition of three new courtrooms, 13 judges’ chambers and two lounges.
  • Jamaica received €4 million in budgetary support through the EU’s 11th European Development Fund (EDF) programme during fiscal year 2017/18. This allowed for increased budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Justice to fund the project.

The Full Story

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says the project to expand the Court of Appeal building on King Street in downtown Kingston is progressing smoothly.

“After just under five weeks of work, we have seen tremendous progress. I am eager not only for this work to continue on time but to finish on time,” he said.

The Minister was speaking to JIS News following a tour of the building on Thursday (May 25).

He was accompanied by Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska. The EU is providing funding for the project.

Mr. Chuck said he is expecting that the work will be finished by the middle of August, at which time the staff of the Court of Appeal will begin moving in, so that cases can begin in the upgraded building in September.

In April, Minister Chuck signed an $846-million contract to undertake the project, which will see the addition of three new courtrooms, 13 judges’ chambers and two lounges.

Mr. Chuck noted that some money has been given to the contractor, Y.P. Seaton and Associates Company Limited, including advanced payments to order elevators, air conditioners and other equipment, as well as various furniture and fixtures for the courtrooms.

The building, now owned by the Ministry of Justice, formerly housed the Administrator-General’s Department, which has been relocated to the former Oceana Hotel building on Ocean Boulevard, downtown.

For her part, Ambassador Wasilewska told JIS News that she was also pleased with the progress made.

“It is wonderful to see how fast the work is going, and I am very impressed with the work. I am very impressed with the discipline that I see here,” she said, in reference to community members and staff of Y.P. Seaton and Associates seamlessly working together on the project.

She noted that the EU’s funding for the project is “the biggest grant from the European Union under the current financial perspective”.

Jamaica received €4 million in budgetary support through the EU’s 11th European Development Fund (EDF) programme during fiscal year 2017/18. This allowed for increased budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Justice to fund the project.

Last Updated: May 27, 2018

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