REAL NEWS – The staff at the St. John’s Magistrates Court reportedly were sent home early on Wednesday, September 6, because there was no water in the building.
But a source tells REAL News the building has been out of water since last Friday, September 1, and this has forced the early closure of public business, with the staff being sent home by midday since Monday, September 4.
However, the source says that Wednesday was the earliest the staff has been dismissed, with the court closing sometime between 9 and 10 a.m. Reports say the early closure could hinder cases being completed in a timely manner.
Further, parents who collect child-maintenance cheques at the Court will now have to show up early in the morning to do so.
Those who are unable to make it at that time will encounter some difficulty in getting their money otherwise, the source notes.
Reportedly, the building housing the Court is outfitted with three cisterns which have the capacity to provide water to the entire building.
Since it was designated as a community centre for the residents of St. John’s Rural West, the massive water catchments were intended to ensure that the facility is never without water.
The set-up reportedly was designed with a relay system – to ensure that if one cistern has a problem with dispensing water the others would kick in, the source explains.
Reportedly these underground cisterns run from the parking lot to the main building.
It is believed that the current lack of water has to do with the way the system was set up by the Chinese engineers, and the Public Works Department does not know how to operate the parts.
Meanwhile, the source also claims that Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh had asked that the permanent secretary in the Works Ministry designate an engineer to work along with the Chinese and learn how to operate the system.
This request reportedly was made after Walsh was informed by the Chinese engineer that he had only six months’ more time in Antigua.
According to the source, Walsh wrote several letters and made several phone calls asking that a professional be sent to learn the system, but she got no response.
These challenges with the water system are not unique to the Magistrates Court.
They have been experienced in other buildings constructed by the Chinese, including the Glanvilles Polyclinic.
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In an economic powerhouse?
Didn’t Gassssston Browne say that the island-wide water supply system would be up and running by the end of September 2022?
Wasn’t this one of his General Election promises?
Or did he mean September 2023? 2024? Or any September in the MANY years to come?
HOW DID ANTIGUA END UP WITH A BRUK DOWN BROKEN PROMISE(S) PRIME MINISTER?
Maria Picksy Browne,could you tell the people.When would that Court Building on High Street be completed.You did say in Parliament it would have been done some weeks ago.You people just say things to sound good and make the people feel good.ARE YOU TO DAMN LIE.The people of that Community need that building for the purpose it was intended.Not as a damn Court House.So GHOST PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER,COMPLETE THAT DAMN BUILDING ON HIGH STREET,NOW.
The first set of prints/schematics which I saw for a major project in Antigua built by the Chinese(the Port Renovations) were written in Mandarin(well I think it was, since, I couldn’t tell the difference between #snakes_n_ladder and mandarin).Only the Title Page was English.
I asked, how can this be, when 99.9% of the Nation does not speak, read nor write Mandarin?
When these contracts are negotiated, don’t MAINTENANCE comes to mind?
I thought, the Universe is Ass_Backwards but, how the hell can such major National projects prints/schematics not written in ENGLISH.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
A similar situation occurred at the Multipurpose & Exhibition Cultural Centre.
The site plan was also in Mandarin, fortunately the Chinese Engineer was fluent in English and he provided us, the maintenance technicians, and Mr. Bradshaw along with members of his APUA Water Dept. team with training on how to operate the water supply system prior to his departure. I don’t know if the water supply system is still working because all of us have moved on to greener pastures and transference of knowledge as a government employee is not a priority.
I must state that even though the site plan was in a foreign language the universal symbols were listed on the technical drawings, so we were able to figure out somethings via the symbols.
@Rashik Ferris…excuses do not solve problems! Trial & Error, and Scientific methods do. We should be way beyond the Trial & Error method. Language is the cohesive force which holds a People together not ignorance. Ignorance keep you enslaved or enslaves you.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg 🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
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