Tunapuna: The Tunapuna Magistrates courts will be closed tomorrow and Friday following a court order late this afternoon to shut down the Tunapuna Regional Administrative Complex, part of which accommodates the courts, for breach of the public health regulations.
The order was given by Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay to the Ministry of Public Administration, owners of the building.
The closure follows complaints to the County Medical Officer of Health and Public Health inspectors over leaking effluent from the building’s sewerage system that was spilling onto the public roadway creating a health and environmental hazard.
Dr Adele Lisa Chin, County Medical Officer of Health for St. George East told the magistrate this afternoon that raw sewerage contains multiple bacteria and particles that should not interface directly with human beings.
She said any contact with sewage could cause gastroenteritis, dysentery and cholera. diseases which are highly communicable and can result in a major public health epidemic in a short space of time. putting the public and prisoners in particular at risk.
Dr Chin said she was very dissatisfied with the inaction of the Ministry of Public Administration to deal with the problem and recommended the immediate shut down of the complex in order to rectify the problem.
All matters listed for the Tunapuna Courts for tomorrow and friday will be adjourned.
The police have been advised that no prisoners should be brought to the court. There is no word on whether the court will reopen on Monday .
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