MARIGOT--The future annex in St. Martin Chambre Detachée of the Court of First Instance, Guadeloupe, will have 25 civil servants. Among those will be nine new staff, five new magistrates, as well as a Judge of Instruction and a local magistrate (Juge de Proximité) to deal with petty crimes and disputes.
The judge of the Juvenile Court will still be linked to the court of Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, but will have a permanent delegation in St. Martin.
The staffing details were disclosed at a meeting between justice ministry officials and President Aline Hanson on Thursday.
The annex will be located in the former library on Rue Palais du Justice, behind the present courthouse, conversion of which will begin in March 2016, following a bidding for the construction work.
The library was given to the Justice Ministry to house the annex in exchange for buildings in the Gendarmerie of Concordia.
Inauguration of the new annex gives St. Martin more autonomy in judicial matters and efficiency of processing cases locally and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.
Attending the meeting with President Hanson was Director of Judicial Services for the Justice Minister Marielle Thuau who was accompanied by Prosecutor General of Basse-Terre Danielle Drouay-Ayral, Basse-Terre Prosecutor Samuel Finielz, and President of the Court of Instruction of Basse-Terre Dominique Voglimacci-Stephanopoli.
Hanson was assisted by Director of General Services for the Collectivité Philippe Millon and his Director of Cabinet, Pierre Brangé.
“Creation of this annex in St. Martin is a positive step forward for justice in St. Martin,” noted Marielle Thuau who added the project has received support from Attorney General Christiane Taubira.
Thuau said the minister of justice is keen to be present for the inauguration.
Prosecutor Samuel Finielz indicated the annex will relieve the burden on the court of Basse-Terre where some 40 per cent of cases concern crimes in St. Martin.
New services in the annex will include a research section for people to know and understand individual rights -an official will be charged with handling this section-, a welcome desk for victims, and a section on providing simplified information on legal aid.
Hanson asked that deadlines associated with installation of the annex be respected so that litigants and victims can benefit as soon as possible from a speedy judicial response to cases.
