ACTING Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards has announced that the long-anticipated Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court will soon be commissioned.

This announcement was made during her remarks on Thursday at the official opening of the Children’s Court at Charity.

Justice Cummings-Edwards emphasised that once commissioned, residents of Anna Regina and surrounding areas will no longer need to travel to Suddie to file cases, seek maintenance orders, or apply for liquor licences. All these services will be accessible at the Anna Regina court.

She reaffirmed that Guyana’s judicial system is fully committed to keeping pace with the country’s rapid development.

“The judiciary is working to match services with the unprecedented transformation taking place across the region,” she stated. She reiterated that the mission of the Supreme Court is to uphold the Rule of Law and ensure fair, transparent, and efficient access to justice for all.

The sod-turning ceremony for the new courthouse took place in October 2023. The project, valued at $178.2 million, was awarded to Satar Mohamed and Son Construction and Hardware Supplies, with Kalitech Inc. Engineering, led by consultant Kalyan Tiwari, providing oversight.

The state-of-the-art facility will feature modern courtroom infrastructure, dedicated living quarters for magistrates and court clerks, washroom amenities, and adequate parking. This development comes as a major improvement over the previous courtroom, which was housed in the Anna Regina Police Station, and was widely considered cramped and inadequate.

Justice Cummings-Edwards extended her gratitude to the Guyana Police Force for their longstanding support in accommodating court proceedings over the years.

She noted that the new court will significantly reduce bottlenecks in the judicial process, and improve service delivery across the region.

Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva also expressed appreciation, stating that the region looks forward to the commissioning of the new court. She thanked the Government of Guyana for its continued investment and visible developmental progress in Region Two.