#2 COURT STAFF FORCED TO VACATE

The office of the number two Magistrate's Court in St. George's was abandoned last Friday after the employees were forced to concede and give way to a number of defense lawyers who sources indicated are responsible for such a move.

Information reaching our news desk last week revealed that the members of staff at the number two Magistrate's Court office were practically forced out of office due to authoritative pressure and power.

GRENADA TODAY was reliably informed that from time to time the employees at that particular office were constantly interrupted by lawyers who wanted to use that office as a route to get to and from the number one and two Magistrate's Court.

On a number of occasions the employees had to cease operations to open the door for the lawyers in order for them to enter the building to make their way.

Moreover, it was felt by some judicial officers that the employees could not perform effectively under such circumstances, and that it was dangerous since the office was also used for the daily collection of court fines.

GRENADA TODAY gathered that at times certain confidential court matters were left exposed to assist the lawyers. The constant moving of lawyers through the office, was not in the best interest of the employees. We also learnt that the employees felt very uncomfortable working under such conditions since neither of the two security cameras at the front and back of the building is functioning.

On occasions the lawyers were left with one choice, that was to use the other entrance. However, they took their complaints to the Chief Magistrate Patricia Mark, whom we understood gave them the green light to use the office.

One of our reporters had the opportunity of speaking with a few Police Officers, who felt that the lawyers should not be allowed to use that office as their official entrance or exit, since the court complex was designed in a very special way, so that lawyers could have easy access to and from the various courts by using the passage way at the back.

They explained that during the assizes the lawyers will utilize the back entrance of the number two High Court which is just above the number one and two Magistrate's Court. They said that not all the lawyers are guilty of using the number two Magistrate's Court office as their entrance and that the few who do such are just looking for confrontation. They believed that Court staff employees have a very good case and that the lawyers should use the entrance created for them.

"If during the assizes they (the lawyers) can pass along the stairs at the back of the number two High Court, why they then can't when they have to access the number one and two Magistrate's court. This is an easier and shorter route", explained one senior Police Officer.

There are presently two short, easy access routes, leading to the number one and two Magistrate's Court. They are both located near the Jury deliberating room and the Sir Archibald Nedd Law Library. One of the routes leads to the number one Magistrate's Court. The other to the Number two High Court and the Magistrate's Court.