Honourable Anil Nandlall in his presentation on day five of the 2024 Budget debate, outlined the projected improvements to the infrastructure and legislation in the legal fraternity, or as he stated the “transformational project and policies”.
This includes the building of new Magistrate’s Courts and the refurbishing of old ones, the building of new legal facilities, and legal reform; the passing of new acts, publishing the new laws of Guyana, and the completion and establishment of Guyana law reports from 2008- 2020. According to Nandlall, the government’s ambitious growth program is being supported by a rapidly changing legislative framework.
The Attorney General stated that “most of the revolutionary initiatives we are pursuing need for a strong legislative agenda,”. He went on to state that “Our Constitution is the most paramount and fundamental of all legal instruments. It establishes the philosophical ideals, the economic basis, and the political framework through which we function and by which we are governed.” Quality legislative reform must therefore go hand in hand with any sector’s ambition to improve infrastructure and other areas.
Regarding legislative reform, Minister Nandlall said that Guyana has already enacted the Constitutional Reform Commission Act. There will also be a new Evidence Act and other new legislation. Nandlall underscored the establishment of the Restorative Justice Program and the Probation program that will continue in 2024.
While concentrating on the infrastructural projections for his sector, he underlined that new facilities are being built to support the changing legal architecture. This is constructing new courts, staff housing, etc. He highlighted that there will be a new Hope and Justice Center in Vergenoegen, a Legal Aid Clinic in Providence, Deeds and Commercial Registry authorities in New Amsterdam and Suddie, and a new facility for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Ondeerming.
The Attorney General stated that there will also be the appointment of legal personnel ranging from justices of appeal, commissioners of title, judges, and magistrates.