By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia – The Halls of Justice will be constructed under the Philip J. Pierre-led administration, says the Office of the Prime Minister in a press release May 17, 2024. This follows the April 19, 2024 Halls of Justice sod-turning ceremony and wide-ranging unanswered questions and concerns.
“The judiciary endured years of dislocation, operating in inadequate and inconvenient spaces throughout the city,” the OPM counselled, “After extensive multi-stakeholder consultation and more than a decade in the making, the government of Saint Lucia successfully reached a historic agreement with Themis LTD, a subsidiary of NH International, to construct the Halls of Justice.”
What’s the deal?
The government of Saint Lucia and Themis LTD signed a Build Own Lease Transfer (BOLT) agreement for the Halls of Justice on April 19, 2024.
NH International is the contractor under the BOLT agreement; an experienced construction firm based in Trinidad and Tobago with a proven track record in Saint Lucia.
Most notably, NH International built the main branch of the Bank of Saint Lucia on Bridge Street, Castries and the Financial Administrative Centre at Pointe Seraphine, Castries.
The BOLT agreement between the government of Saint Lucia and Themis LTD:
- The total project cost is set at a fixed price of EC $143 million
- Themis LTD will finance 100 percent of the project costs
- The project cost includes office furniture, filling systems and ICT systems
- The government of Saint Lucia is not required to guarantee loan financing for the project
- Upon completion of the structures, the government of Saint Lucia will enter a lease for the facilities for a period not exceeding 12 years
- At the end of the lease period, ownership of the Halls of Justice will be transferred to the government of Saint Lucia at a price of EC $1
- The government of Saint Lucia will own a new asset and substantially reduce its annual rental payments
According to the OPM, “The terms of the BOLT agreement with Themis LTD are highly favourable for the government as it will not assume any financial risks and will not incur any new debt related to the project.”
The structure
The Halls of Justice will accommodate three judicial divisions; the criminal division, the civil division and the family division. The facility will consist of 14 courtrooms, six magistrate chambers, nine judge’s chambers, 11 witness rooms, 10 administrative offices, a law library, one 26-seater conference room, one police post, holding cells and a high-security defendants dock in the criminal court.
The anticipated completion date of the Halls of Justice project is two years from the start of construction. The new Halls of Justice will centralize the civil, criminal and family courts in one convenient and secure location in the capital.
The construction, relocation and cost of the Halls of Justice is not without variables on matters of accountability and transparency and putting the people of Saint Lucia first.
Related: T&T contractor to build St Lucia Halls of Justice
Originally earmarked for the Bridge Street location, the Halls of Justice facilities were expected to provide housing for the high courts, and other specialized divisions of the supreme court, the registries, law libraries, jury rooms, magistrates’ courts, holding cells, administrative offices and private rooms for lawyer/client consultation.
The renewed Halls of Justice
“This building will be constructed under a BOLT arrangement with NH International as the contractor and financer with NIPRO providing project management services. The BOLT will entail a lease agreement with the Government of Saint Lucia. The expected cost of the facility is US$54 million. This arrangement will not increase the national debt of the country, nor will it require a loan guarantee from the government of Saint Lucia. The new structure will occupy the abandoned Court House buildings and the old abandoned education building, said Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, in his budget address 2024.
“This government intends to revive the city and encourage urban renewal. The construction of the Halls of Justice is expected to provide the impetus for this renewal process. Special incentives will be made available to businesses and property owners in the city to renovate and refurbish their properties; allowing the city of Castries to decay will create social problems that will further destroy the aesthetics of our capital city.
“We will also explore means to discourage the practice of abandoned and unkempt properties, especially those that pose security risks and a hazard to people and the environment. I intend to meet with the Chamber of Commerce, National Insurance Corporation, Castries Constituency Council, churches, and other relevant authorities to formulate strategic interventions for the city’s revival.”
