THE April Criminal Session in the Demerara Assizes opened yesterday with pomp and ceremony, with drums and music creating a befitting spectacle to the eyes and ears of spectators.

But unlike what obtained in the past, when the press was accommodated by tables and chairs in the well of the court, members of the press are now left to operate without those facilities, and have to be contented with standing positions.

This situation, however, does not obtain in the Appellate Court and in the recently renovated Magistrates’ Courts in the city,

Two members of the press stood up to be counted yesterday; the others were not present because their pleas in the past have been met with promises and excuses.

The Registrar, Mr. Raschid Mohamed, who is a friend of the press and has always given the impression that requests from the press would be granted, yesterday lamented that he had not been given the money.

Evidence of what happened yesterday took place in Justice Navindra Singh’s court, where the two press representatives were left standing to do their work in his view. He, however, made no reference to the situation.

Like the Press, he too was suffering yesterday. He gave the impression that the retrial of murder accused Woolford, which the prosecution had been ready to restart yesterday, was postponed because the accused was willing to retain his usual lawyer, Mr. Peter Hugh, but was unable to so do because of financial problems.
After noting that the prosecution could not find another case before a certain date, the judge had to discharge the jury and put down Woolford’s case for report.

The Press and media in this country are looking forward with hope to the day when the Press in Guyana would be treated like their brothers and sisters are treated overseas in relation to accommodation at Courts.
By George Barclay