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Guma Hustisia now open
The Guma Hustisia, which has been closed for nearly two years due to problems with its ventilation and air-conditioning, finally opened its doors yesterday starting with the Supreme Court wing.
According to a CNMI Judiciary statement, the Supreme Court wing of Guma Hustisia will be open during regular hours starting yesterday, in addition to alternate courtroom sites like the Marianas Business Plaza and the U.S. District Court.
The Supreme Court wing is now available for both trial and appellate court sessions.
According to Superior Court director Sonia Camacho, it was a warm welcome back yesterday afternoon, with Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho conducting a few of his cases in the Supreme Court wing.
“I just want to thank the members of the public, the members of the CNMI bar, our partners who have assisted us with providing alternate sites, the Department of Public Safety, the U.S. District Court for the NMI, and of course, our staff. They have worked diligently to get us to where we’re at and to make sure cases are heard timely, and parties have access to the courts. We are spread thin between four court sites, but this is an added courtroom and it’s just a warm welcome for us to be back into the building,” she said.
As for the Superior Court courtrooms, chambers, and the divisions and offices on the first floor, they will remain closed until further notice. However, full occupancy of the Guma Hustisia is expected by the end of 2020.
The repairs made to the Guma Hustisia that allowed for its reopening include carpet removal, mold remediation, procurement and installation of temporary air conditioning systems, and the atrium skylight replacement with concrete caps.
The CNMI Judiciary continues to coordinate efforts with the Secretary of Finance and the Capital Improvement Projects office for the completion of project scopes.
Additionally, recovery and repair projects for damage from Super Typhoon Yutu to other interior and exterior areas of the Guma Hustisia are ongoing and continue to be coordinated the Public Assistance Office of the Office of the Governor.
