JUSTICE Minister Delroy Chuck is ruing the fact that over the 11 years which he has held that portfolio more courthouses have not been built across Jamaica.

But Chuck says over the next three years, eight new courthouses will grace the Jamaican landscape, with at least four constructed through the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

“Let me say that after about 11 years as minister of justice I am a little disappointed that I am not able to say that we have built so many courts — which really my vision was when I came that we would build a number of courts in 2016. It was clear to me that most of the courts really need not only abandonment but we need new courts,” said Chuck while addressing the opening ceremony of the Judiciary of Jamaica 2026 Strategic Management Retreat, at the AC Hotel in St Andrew on Monday.

He said the damage wreaked by Hurricane Melissa, which devastated sections of the island on October 28 last year, has, ironically, gifted the judiciary a windfall.

“In many ways, Melissa caused great damage but it has also given great hope, especially for me, in that out of that [disaster] the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), where we got about US$6 billion, I pleaded and the Cabinet has agreed to build four new courts, two of which are absolutely needed right away — that is in Westmoreland and St Elizabeth — and also in Trelawny and St Ann.

“So four new courts will be built within the next two years, I hope, under NaRRA. So my great hope is that with Morant Bay being finished, hopefully by next year, within the next few years we should have at least eight new courts in addition to the few that have been built over the past few years,” added Chuck.

In the meantime the justice minister, in emphasising the importance of maintaining the existing court buildings, said the Court Administration Division and the property division of the Ministry of Justice have been meeting fairly regularly.

“We hope they will have more regular meetings to ensure that the existing courts can be maintained to an appropriate standard where case matters can be conducted in an attractive and appropriate manner,” he said.

According to Chuck, alongside the buildings to be constructed under NaRRA, prolonged discussions at the Cabinet level between 2018/2019 which had resulted in plans to build new courts using public-private sector partnerships (PPP), are about to bear fruit.

“For the last three to five years nothing concrete has come from that PPP but in recent times I have been in touch with the Development Bank of Jamaica and we are hoping that at least three courts — Manchester, St Catherine and a new Supreme Court — will be built under the PPP,” the justice minister told the gathering.

Chuck added: “There’s no doubt that many of our courts need upgrading — and we are trying as best as possible to see how it can be done — but, at the same time, we just have to spend what we have to bring these courts up to standard.”

Chuck also used his address to announce that temporary arrangements have been concretised for the Westmoreland and Black River courthouses, which were decimated by Hurricane Melissa.

“I am happy to report that in Westmoreland — where the parish court has been severely damaged — we have now entered into a contract to rent what would have been a plaza, [and] the Westmoreland court will be moved over. And I am happy to report that the contract has been signed, after some delay and discussions, and the keys will be passed on to [the CAD] certainly early this week.

“We are also having [in] St Elizabeth, in Black River, another structure which I know you have examined and you find appropriate. We are in discussion and we expect a contract to be signed within the next week or two for that property — so those are two which will at least be there for a couple years until the two new courts are built,” Chuck said.

In November last year, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced that NaRRA would be established to lead, coordinate, fast-track, and oversee national rebuilding efforts.

At that time Holness said NaRRA would be designed to eliminate bureaucracy, fragmentation, and project delays. In May the NaRRA Act was passed and Ambassador Major General (ret’d) Antony Anderson selected to lead it.