The Catholic Church has expressed unease regarding the Government’s Halls of Justice project near the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Castries.
United Workers Party (UWP) leader Allen Chastanet spilled the beans during Sunday’s opposition livestream.
“We’re going to wait for them to pile, and for the damage to be done to our church? And if the Catholic Church does not want to speak for themselves out loud, we will speak for them! No! Sa pas bon!” Chastanet declared.
The concern relates to the location of the Halls of Justice, set to rise directly in front of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Micoud Street.
Chastanet expressed outrage over the project’s scale, urging the public to imagine the impact of such a large structure overshadowing the iconic church, comparing its scale to the Orange Grove Plaza in Bois D’orange.
“That building is 100,000 square feet, the three floors…so I want you to pick up that building, and put it now in Constitution Park- and add one more floor. That is the size of the Halls of Justice they putting there. Pas bon ! It cannot be!” Chastanet said.
The concerns are not limited to political rhetoric.
A Catholic Church official confirmed that the Archbishop had quietly penned a letter to the government.
The church’s leadership has expressed that the towering structure could diminish the presence and significance of the Basilica, which is considered a spiritual symbol and historical centerpiece of Saint Lucia.
“Conversations have taken place, and the Archbishop has written to the Prime Minister… expressing our concerns of not just the proximity, but the size of the Halls of Justice in relation to the church,” a church official revealed.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre commented at Tuesday morning’s press briefing.
Pierre pointed out that the designated area was historically intended for court use and acknowledged the City’s space constraints.
According to Pierre, “The building that we intended to go there… it’s a five-story building. All the courts are going there… There’s some discussion that probably it may overshadow the church, but I’ll tell you something. Go to every City in the world. City space is a valuable space right now. What we’ve done is we are in discussions to see if we can create enough buffer, so both the church and Halls of Justice can coexist. But the idea of building a tall building is something we have to deal with because of our development and because of the scarcity of space in Castries. We hope we can end up in a win-win situation.” the PM told reporters.
Both sides hope for a resolution that balances urban development with respect for the nation’s cultural and religious heritage.
The Halls of Justice, part of a Build Own Lease Transfer (BOLT) agreement between the Government of Saint Lucia and Themis LTD, will house three key judicial divisions: criminal, civil, and family.
The facility will comprise 14 courtrooms, six Magistrate chambers, nine Judge’s chambers, 11 witness rooms, ten administrative offices, a law library, one 26-seater conference room, one police post, holding cells, and a high-security defendants dock in the criminal court.
Headline photo: Artists impression of completed Halls of Justice (l) and Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (r)
