THE long-awaited Bartica Magistrate’s Court building is near completion and the people are expected to get easier access to the delivery of justice and other relevant services that were not accessible in the township.

The contract, which was awarded to M&P Investments to the tune of $173M, will benefit residents of Bartica and surrounding villages, and is expected to be completed by November of this year.

At the welcoming of the initiative, Mayor of the Town, Gifford Marshall had said that the project will greatly enhance Bartica’s landscape and add value to the community. He reflected on how Bartica moved from being seen as an interior “landing” to now being one of the capital towns of Guyana.

“It is a vision of His Excellency, President David Granger, to have Bartica transformed into the capital town of Region Seven, and a Model Green Town to the entire world,” Marshall had said, adding: “It is therefore imperative that all the essential services be provided to the residents and this new magistrate’s court is one of such.”

One resident of Bartica told Guyana Chronicle that the people are excited for its completion, given that their travelling hassle for access to certain services will be eased.
“You know to travel to Georgetown for a simple document is really frustrating, especially for those who cannot afford it. And though simple, I mean these things hold much importance, so it’s not like we could just ignore not having it. So with this court here, some of us will still have to travel yes, but the journey is much shorter and less expensive than going till to Georgetown or Essequibo,” the resident said.

Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, told this newspaper that the house of justice represents major progress for the entire region and not just Bartica.

“Having our own court, we will be afforded the opportunity to have court every day and not have persons travelling up and down to get their matters heard. We will no longer have to travel out of our region for justice; persons wouldn’t have to go till to Essequibo to uplift bail money; all of that will be done right here and that is a great boost for the community,” Bradford said.

Time and money are the essence of life, he said, and noted that ready access to a court in Bartica will be saving the residents both time and money.

Bradford also believes that persons charged by police will be on neutral ground and have fairness in their trials, since their cases would not be heard at the police station.
The L-shaped complex is expected to house a magistrate’s court, magistrate’s chambers, lawyers’ rooms, court registry, offices and living quarters.