It’s almost an allegory for the country. Faro’s grandiose-sounding ‘Palace of Justice’ is poised to start operating out of a set of containers located near the municipal swimming baths.
The move – which is temporary – centres on building work that will be ongoing through the summer and autumn.
It is all part of the Ministry of Justice’s controversial reform of the country’s judicial map which will see 47 courthouses close their doors for good from September 1.
The reform has already seen well-appointed courthouses up and down the country condemned, as lesser-equipped establishments are bizarrely left staggering on under an increasingly caseload.
Intriguingly, one of the opposition leader’s pledges to the electorate not long ago was that if the PS was returned to power in the upcoming elections next year, it would instantly reopen all the closed courthouses.
Nonetheless, this latest news comes with its own controversy, as Faro is not considered to be ‘the right court’ to represent the Sotavento (eastern) part of the Algarve.
According to the Syndicate of Magistrates of the Public Ministry, “there are other court houses with better conditions to serve as the headquarters”.
But the Justice Ministry’s decision would appear to be sacrosanct.
As Faro is upgraded to become the central court for the Sotavento, Portimão has been earmarked as the central court for the Barlavento (western Algarve).
And the ‘good news’ is that the containers have air-conditioning.
Meantime, the upgraded court building promises three courtrooms (the current courthouse has only two) with five judges (again, the current courthouse has only three).
Building work is expected to take up to nine months.
