The Tribune

By Leandra Rolle

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said government would invest in the “most transformational” change the country’s judicial system has seen since independence.

He said a new Supreme Court would be constructed on Shirley Street, a seven-storey building featuring eight civil courts, eight criminal courts and four hearing rooms.

 He said the Office of the Registrar General would be repurposed for judicial administration functions, and the Rodney Bain Building on Shirley Street would be demolished.

 He estimated that construction would take two years, though he did not say when construction would begin.

 He also announced plans to appoint five additional Supreme Court justices to help reduce the backlog of cases.

 “The government of The Bahamas, through its property acquisition special purpose vehicle Poinciana SPV Ltd, has contracted to purchase 50 Shirley Street and 52 Shirley Street and to take ownership of the Rodney Bain Building,” Mr Pinder said as senators wrapped up the debate on the 2023/2024 budget. “You would know 50 Shirley Street is where the Registrar General currently is. This will extend it from Parliament Street to Charlotte Street on Shirley Street.

 “These three parcels of land will be developed into a new, state-of-the-art Supreme Court judicial centre.”

 Mr Pinder said there would be underground parking at the complex and that the design would “be suitable for a proper judicial edifice downtown”.

 Complaints about the deteriorating state of court facilities have been long-standing.

 Earlier this year, Chief Justice Ian Winder lamented the courts’ infrastructure, saying the time had long passed for a new complex.

 “For too long, madame president, we have had a court infrastructure that was inadequate and contributed to delays in hearing and disposing of cases,” Mr Pinder said. “Our government is going to be the one that fixes this longstanding problem.”

 He said constructing the new complex allows the government to fulfil its promise to build specialty courts.

 “Once the judicial complex is completed, which is estimated to be within two and a half years, the current main Supreme Court will be converted into two sexual offences courts.

 “We have identified and are undertaking the renovations for three family courts, three magistrate hearing rooms on family matters and a juvenile court at a facility on Bernard Road.”

 The government will convert the Hansard Building, which houses the chief justice’s office, into a Coroners Court.

 “We are also looking at acquiring a building close to the new Supreme Court judicial complex that will be utilised for an arbitration centre and a commercial court,” Mr Pinder said.

 “Madame president, these are all in addition to the new specialty magistrate’s court, the gun court which we have recently put in place to hear firearm offences to ensure swift and equitable justice for those who have firearm offences.”

 He added the government would finance the project through public markets with bond offerings and commercial construction loans “that will be in the name of SPV Poinciana”.

 He also announced plans to amend the Supreme Court Act to appoint five additional Supreme Court judges to address the backlog of cases.

 He also said there would be salary changes and additional benefits for legal officers.

 “Madame president, I am pleased to announce that we have begun enrolment into the health insurance programme for legal officers,” he said.

“This is a significant benefit that makes working for the Office of the Attorney General more competitive with our private sector counterparts where health insurance is a benefit of employment.”

 “Madame president, we have also looked to adjust salary scaled for attorneys, some not having seen an adjustment in their scale for more than ten years.”

  He described the situation as shameful and said his office had obtained Cabinet approval to raise the salary scales for both magistrates and legal officers.

 Mr Pinder said the government has also implemented a special allowance for legislative drafters.

 “We look to implement a hazard allowance for criminal prosecutors,” he said. “We need to ensure that we take care of our legal officers.”