Whithorn to anchor court operations in Westmoreland
... after hurricane devastates Savanna-la-Mar facilities
Published:Monday | November 24, 2025 | 12:06 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Preliminary assessments following Hurricane Melissa show that while several court buildings across St Elizabeth and Westmoreland suffered heavy damage, the newly renovated Whithorn Courthouse emerged largely unscathed, positioning it to temporarily anchor judicial operations in Westmoreland.
During an inspection tour on Friday, officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs found the Westmoreland Parish Court and Family Court facilities in parish capital Savanna-la-Mar severely compromised. Both buildings lost their roofs and remain waterlogged after weeks of leaks and the storm’s direct hit. The structures will require full renovation before they can safely reopen.
The destruction has forced the Court Administration Division to relocate parish-level court functions, and Whithorn – recently refurbished and sitting atop the local police station – has been identified as the most viable alternative.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Delroy Chuck, who toured the facilities with Permanent Secretary Grace Ann Stewart McFarlane and a technical team, said the condition of Whithorn stood out sharply against the backdrop of widespread community devastation.
“This is one of the outstations in Westmoreland and here in Withorn it will serve as the parish operations because as we saw earlier Sav-la-Mar Parish Court is damaged,” Chuck noted.
“This court … is in good order [with] little or no damage, which is quite impressive because when I look around Whithorn, you can see many houses were damaged,” he said. “You can see all the trees have lost all their leaves, all the hillsides have been scorched … and now [the Whithorn Outstation] can conduct court operations for the parish of Westmoreland.”
Chuck described himself as “very impressed” with the resilience of the building, noting that the recent investment in renovations had proven worthwhile. Withorn’s relative safety and accessibility, being just 20 minutes from Savanna-la-Mar, made it the logical choice for continuity of service.
“I’m very happy to report that ... starting Monday,... parish operations will begin here for at least three days per week,” he said, adding that the Family Court is also expected to operate from the facility on select days once scheduling is finalised.
The ministry is now looking at additional upgrades to strengthen the building’s resilience, especially in light of the storm’s long-term impact on the island’s electrical grid. A solar installation is under consideration to ensure uninterrupted court operations.
“One of the things we are hoping to do is to improve it some more, maybe put in solar panels so that if electricity doesn’t come back shortly – or even with electricity – the solar panels can help to generate electricity and ensure that the court can be conducted when there is no electricity,” Chuck noted.
The priority, he said, is restoring safe, functional spaces for the public to access legal services and maintain confidence that the justice system remains operational despite the storm’s impact.
“We want to make sure that not only the courts but also the justice centres are operating so people can have access to legal advice, to justice matters, and generally to feel that the justice system is still operating in spite of all that has happened,” said Chuck.