Justice Minister and Chief Justice Tour New Court House in Port Antonio

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne and Chief Justice, Zaila McCalla toured the new court house being constructed in Port Antonio, on Wednesday, February 11.
The facility is being built by the National Commercial Bank (NCB), in exchange for the old Port Antonio court house, which has been leased to that financial institution under a special arrangement with the government.
Under the agreement, the old building will be restored by the bank and preserved as a heritage site. It will also house a branch of the bank to serve the public.
The new court house is being built on land in the Bryan’s Bay area of Port Antonio at a cost of approximately $245,000,000. Work began in July 2006 and is scheduled to be completed soon.
When completed, the facility will be the country’s most modern court house, featuring a number of state-of-the-art amenities, consistent with the requirements of an efficient justice system.
Speaking to JIS News, Minister Lightbourne lauded the architectural beauty of the building, and emphasised that she was confident it would go a far way in enhancing the delivery of justice.
Carol Palmer, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, who was also on the tour, said the building would be provided with the security features consistent with the requirements of a modern court house.
The tour was conducted by Major Warwick Sterling, Director of Property Management in the Ministry.