In-person hearings of the Demerara Criminal Assizes return after two-year hiatus

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C, issued a call for a
blend of in – person and virtual hearings as the criminal session of the Demerara Assizes of April
2022 opened on Tuesday.
Held under the theme ‘Advancing the rule of law in the new normal,’ the session was opened in
the compound of the Victoria Law Courts as part of Law Week 2022, after a two-year hiatus. It
was noted that the opening of the session paves the way for the hearing of 354 cases which
includes 174 sexual offence cases and 75 murder cases.
Nandlall stressed that in person and virtual hearings should form an integral part of the new
normal to propel the machinery of justice. “Virtual courtrooms have the ability to
instantaneously transport judges, magistrates, attorneys at law to court rooms and when the
hearing is over, they are immediately transported back to their homes, offices, cars or the local
bar. This reduction in time needed to travel allows these officers to shift focus to other matters
much quicker,” he explained.

The AG noted that when COVID-19 threw the world into chaos, the judiciary had to find ways to
ensure justice was served. “In the midst of this physical shutdown of courts which graduated to
virtual courts, the legal fraternity stood tall and rose to the occasion of adjusting to the new
normal. We could no longer operate as we used to, technology and internet became
indispensable. We heard of zoom for the first time and e-meeting and teleconferencing became
the norm rather than the exception in the day to day and other operations,” Nandlall said.
He revealed that during the period 2020, it was noted that a number of cases were brought before
the courts, including the challenge against the 2020 elections results, President, Irfaan Ali’s
power to confer silk, and two election petitions. As such the Attorney General pointed out that
period showed that the legal fraternity acquitted itself with great distinction in serving the people
of Guyana. Nandlall also highlighted that collaboration between the executive and the judiciary
paved the way for virtual hearings of court cases from the prisons. “The fact that we were able to
innovate, the fact that we were able to collaborate, the fact that we were able to tap into
technology and devise these new mechanisms, we were able provide an outlet to those type of
frustrations in addition to everything else; the fact that we have heard all the other cases and
attended to all the issues relating to justice and access to justice,” he said.
Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), in her feature address
spoke to the importance of the rule of law noting that the state shall not deny anyone justice.
Cummings-Edwards stressed that there must be accountability in the judiciary, adding that the
rule of law is alive, and critical to a nation’s development. The acting Chancellor declared that
the rule of law cannot be put aside because of a pandemic, and made it clear that the legal
profession must find ways to ensure that justice is served.
“It was critical that justice be accessed and administered in a safe manner and without any
endangerment to the public health. Apart from issuing practice directions, amending timelines
for hearing of matters and for filing of cases, we introduced virtual platforms for hearing of

cases… the rule of law has to be advanced or promoted even in this new normal,” Cummings-
Edwards reiterated. Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar
Ali-Hack, and President of the Bar Association, Attorney-at- Law Pauline Chase all echoed
similar sentiments on upholding the rule of law.
It was revealed that the opening of the Criminal Session of the Demerara Assizes saw the
presence of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann
Lynch, European Union Ambassador to Guyana Fernando Ponz Canto, British High
Commissioner Jane Miller, and Indian High Commissioner Dr. K .J Srinivasa, along with other
senior officials.