A two-day training programme on restorative justice has been launched at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Mess Hall, Eve Leary that aims to benefit about seventy (70) persons, including Toshaos, jail and probation officials, and representatives of non-governmental groups. The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, in his address, stated that “Restorative justice allows you to stop that cycle…and find out why this person is back before the court. And if you are able to find out why, perhaps you can give him a chance.”
The Minister stated that in the case of repeat offenders, the goal of rehabilitation and reformation is not met by the traditional penal system, which frequently makes matters worse. As such he posited that long prison terms with hard labour have not solved the crime in the world over.
The Attorney General stated that “the crime situation has gotten progressively worse. So, the experts have told us we have to work on the reformation of the offender than the punishment of him. That is the new direction in which the world is going. And that is why restorative justice has such an important role to play in a modern Guyana going forward.”
The launching of this program follows the Government’s Agenda to achieve robust transformation that will allow “speed and modernity” in the legal fraternity.