THE first ever Family Court in Guyana is expected to be operational by May next year, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon told the Guyana Chronicle last Friday. 

In an invited comment following his post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, in Georgetown, Luncheon informed that the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the death of Dr Walter Rodney is currently stalling the court from becoming functional.
“So there is no possibility of the Family Court being in operation until that is finished and we [are] probably looking at some time about May next year,” stated Dr Luncheon. He observed though that furniture, furnishings and equipment still have to be acquired.
“These need to be procured to the satisfaction of the judiciary for the opening of the court. Everything else has been done; building, power, utilities and everything. That’s why it is being used first for the Linden COI and now for the Walter Rodney COI. So it is serviceable. It could be used,” explained Dr Luncheon.
Meanwhile, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster told this publication that her ministry, through the Probation and Social Services Department, along with the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA), will be providing support to the court.
She said the responsibilities of the ministry will also be increased since approval has been granted for it to receive additional staff, specifically to deal with Family Court issues.
Webster informed that officers of the ministry will assist with such as guardian investigation, child custody counseling and assistance to families in domestic circumstances, among other issues.
The initiative for the Family Court was prompted by the awareness that the unit is severely affected by societal demoralisation. This recognition has motivated the emphasis on providing an environment where adults and children can seek justice and family law can be dealt with in a specialised manner.
The new facility will handle matters including divorce, division of property, domestic matters, adoption, guardianship and custody.
Rules of the court were significantly changed by an expert from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), to whom they were submitted on the recommendation of local officials.

(By Telesha Ramnarine)