Construction of a new police headquarters and a hall of justice will begin early next year. That was the assurance given by National Security minister Hermangild Francis on Tuesday, as he made his way to the day’s Senate sitting. Last week parents and teachers of the Ava Maria Infant School called for the relocation of the Castries Magistrates Court, citing concerns over bomb scares that forced the school to be evacuated. Ten traumatized schoolchildren were reportedly taken to Victoria hospital for treatment.
Addressing the calls for relocation, Francis said he emphasized with the expressed concerns and regretted what the children had suffered. On the other hand, he said, citizens needed to be reasonable and practical. He revealed that upon taking office in 2016, the government had started looking for another location for a courthouse.
The Cultural Centre at Barnard Hill was given serious consideration, said Francis. Also the old site of the Castries prison, until the National Trust filed an injunction. Said Francis: “The National Trust came in, and on the basis that the remains of executed were buried there, stopped the project and it’s almost two years now.” By all Francis said, the government has not given up on the prison site and awaits an amicable conclusion. Meanwhile, an area near the Bordelais Correctional Facility has been identified as an alternative resting place following the exhumation. He expects construction of the new court to begin early next year.
In a statement announcing the injunction last year, the National Trust described the old location as a “significant historic site” by virtue of its age, architecture and uniqueness.
