TCI: NO Mold in CourtHouse

#Providenciales, June 29, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – A recent post on Facebook, which was widely circulated on other social media, claimed that the Courthouse on Old Airport Road, where a Judge of the Supreme Court now sits to hear matters with a jury, was overgrown with mold and presented a health hazard to staff and members of the public.

While it is not the policy of the Judicial Administration to respond to social media posts which do not contain any truth but are patently designed to alarm the public and embarrass the Administration, we considered that there was a very real risk that staff, jurors, court users and other members of the public may have become concerned that their health and well-being might be affected if they attended Court and that we should set the record straight.

The facts are that the building was inspected by the Department of Environmental Health at our request after the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, even though it suffered no damage and there was no ingress of water during the storms, because we wished to ensure that it was safe work environment for the Judge, the staff and all court users. No mold was found.

It was checked again by the Department of Environmental Health and by Parkway, the week before that message was posted.  Again no mold was found.

On Saturday the 23^rd of May, a third inspection was conducted by Orkin which again confirmed that there is no mold in the building.  A copy of the Report is attached. The building is safe and fit for purpose.

In closing, we would like to assure all members of staff, court users and members of the public that the Judicial Administration is committed to conducting the business of the Courts in an environment which is accessible, safe and respectful to all.

Release: Registrar of the Supreme Court