Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre took the opportunity Wednesday to visit the construction site of the Halls of Justice to get a firsthand glimpse of the progress thus far.
Director of THEMIS, {the developer} John Peters, led the Prime Minister on the shot tour with media and NH officials in tow.
Peters revealed that the project was on schedule even after some initial difficulty. He is adamant that the project will be finished in the allotted 2-year period, August 11th, 2025 – August 11th, 2027. Asked about the amount of work that has been completed, Peters confirmed that his estimate suggested approximately 10%.
Prime Minister Pierre, after thanking NH for the invitation to tour the facility, said he was impressed with what he saw. He took the opportunity to remind St. Lucians that the building would be the property of the state after the lease agreement was fulfilled.
The total construction cost is reported to be approximately $143 million dollars and is expected to house some 14 courts. These court rooms are reportedly designed to hear civil, family and criminal cases. The facility will also boast accommodation for 18 judicial officers, 9 judges and 9 magistrates.
Since its announcement, this proposed addition to the justice system has drawn comments from a wide cross section of the island.
In an effort to clarify any misconception, Peters recently addressed BOLT agreement {Build–Own–Lease–Transfer}, saying, “this model represents a major shift for Saint Lucia. Instead of long-term rental arrangements that leave government without assets, every payment under this BOLT structure builds equity in the Halls of Justice. It means that Saint Lucians will not only have a state-of-the-art facility today, but also secure ownership of it in the future.”
The 110,000 square feet facility is also slated to accommodate a sky bridge between the two buildings, a Bar Association Secretariat, a lawyer’s lounge, provision for computer-aided transcription, and a coffee shop.