Fire forces closure of Court of Appeal building

 

The Court of Appeal builing has been closed for the rest of the week after a fire Wednesday morning caused damage to its electrical infrastructure.

 

The Judiciary of Jamaica says a comprehensive assessment of the damage is underway, but preliminary findings indicate the fire did not result in extensive structural damage.

 

Director of Client Services, Communication and Information, Kadiesh Jarrett Fletcher, says reports confirm that the fire originated at the rear of the premises in an area where refuse had been accumulated and which is known to be frequented by homeless people at nights.

 

"The judiciary will be engaging the relevant municipal and government authorities to urgently address both the management of waste in the vicinity of the Court and the broader issue of the use of the premises by homeless persons at night," she disclosed.  

 

Mrs. Jarrett Fletcher said contingency measures have been implemented to minimise disruption to court operations. 

 

"We want to assure members of the public and all our stakeholders that the records of the court remain unaffected by the fire and all remain intact. In the interim, contingency measures have been put in place. Matters previously scheduled to be heard at the Court of Appeal will be accommodated at the Supreme Court building. All filings which are ordinarily made at the Court of Appeal are to be submitted at the Civil Registry of the Supreme Court," she advised.