New Parliament Building placed on hold

The New Democratic Party administration will not be proceeding with the construction of a new Parliament building. This was made clear by Attorney General, Louise Mitchell as she spoke at the opening of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s new law year on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Mitchell, who touched on a range of matters in her address to members of the legal profession at the new location of the High Court, spoke instead about construction of a Hall of Justice.

“Our Prime Minister, Dr. The Honourable Godwin Friday, has stated publicly that the plans to build a Parliament building are put on hold, as a new Parliament is not deemed a priority,” Mitchell said, adding that she was pleased to announce that the building of the Halls of Justice remains an important medium-term objective of this government.

“A first step will be taken this year towards the realization of an adequate building to house the courts. This year, there will be a study commissioned that will look into the comparative costs and suitability of housing the Halls of Justice in the old Court House Building, or in constructing a new one on the vacant lands allocated in Kingstown for this purpose.”

The new Attorney General referred to reports about mould, and termite infestation, as well as and challenges of inappropriate spaces to conduct hearings, deliberations and fraternal discussions in the Registry building, and of terrible conditions in the Magistrates’ courts.

She said by the end of 2026, the government will have a concept design completed and a decision made on the location of the Halls of Justice.

“God willing in 2027 funding will then be sourced,” she stated.

In 2020, then Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves, presenting the Estimates, said the ULP administration was moving to construct a modern parliament building and a modern high court complex. Parliament subsequently approved a loan of $US 20 million from Taiwan that was to be divided among the three components of the project. The spread was $US 10 million for the high court complex; $US 7 million for the modern parliament building, that was to be constructed on lands acquired from former member of parliament, Marcus DeFreitas; $US 2 million for refurbishment of the existing court house building (now not in use); and a $US 1 million contingency. Gonsalves stated that the government had held consultations with stakeholders, including two separate consultations involving then opposition members of parliament on the design and scope of the works for the proposed three-year project.

Lawyers will park again

In her address to members of the legal profession, Attorney General Mitchell, also gave the assurance that the ban on lawyers parking within the yard of the old Court House will be lifted.

She said: “…I have saved the best for last. I will be making a recommendation to Cabinet that lawyers once again be allowed the privilege given to the legal profession to park in the Court House yard – for a reasonable fixed monthly fee”.

She reminded the legal practitioners that the Court House and its grounds is a protected national heritage site, and asked that they treat it as such.”

On November 18, 2022, lawyers and their clerks were prohibited from parking in the court house yard, based on a decision of the then Cabinet. The email sent to the lawyers by the then High Court Registrar, informed them that parking in the court house yard was restricted to (1) Persons employed at the High Court Office (ii) Persons employed at the House of Assembly (iii)Current members of Parliament when there is sitting of Parliament (iv) Counsel employed at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions/National Prosecution Service. A temporary Parliament building has since been constructed at Glen; and the High Court has been relocated to a renovated building that once housed a branch of BOSVG in the area of the Central Kingstown market.

As she reminded members of the legal fraternity at the formal opening of the new law year of the significance of the old Court House building, the Attorney General said: “I also ask that you park only in the back half of the grounds, to allow for the limited green space in Kingstown not to be further diminished. Let us [work] together [to] keep this special site in the centre of town looking beautiful for all to be proud”.