Lawyers ‘shut out’ from parking in the Court House yard with immediate effect

Lawyers and their clerks have received official notice that with immediate effect, the Court House yard will no longer be available to them for parking.

The notice was given by Registrar of the High Court Andrea Young in an email sent to lawyers on Friday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m.

Young, in the email informed that Cabinet had taken a decision to restrict parking in the Court House Yard to (i) Persons employed at the High Court Office (ii) Persons employed at the House of Assembly (iii) Current members of Parliament when there is a sitting of Parliament (iv) Counsel employed at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions / National Prosecution Service.

“Accordingly, with immediate effect, parking in the Court House Yard will no longer be available to lawyers and / or their clerks.” the email ended.

The Registrar’s email, which was sent to 153 email addresses came just one day after Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said it was unfair that lawyers were getting free parking in the Court House yard every day.

He said the “disorder in the Court House yard” was a “security issue” which needed to be addressed.

“I have notice for all of you, the only people who are going to be parked inside there are people who are working in the court house, not lawyers. Find your own parking space, I’m shutting you out from there.”

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the opening of two new Vegetable Markets in Kingstown on Thursday, November 17.

When he spoke he did not say when the new restrictions would come into effect.