$325 million approved for justice sector reform

The sum of $325 million was approved for the Justice Sector Reform programme under the Ministry of Legal Affairs Capital Expenditure.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon. Anil Nandlall SC told the Committee of Supply on Tuesday, that the programme will be rolled out in three components.

Component One includes the design and implementation of restorative justice programme, $9.340 million; the implementation of case management and court scheduling system, $122.432 million and pretrial detention and intervention, $4.170 million.

Under Component Two, $45.713 million was approved for alternative sentence intervention, $72.795 million for strengthening of probation services, $42.752 million for support to law reform commission and $16 million for law revision. Component three entails project implementation for which the sum of $11,488 million was approved.

Importantly, the Attorney General said the provision also caters for the commencement of a prosecutorial programme that will see Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees holders and police prosecutors being trained and certified by the University of Guyana.

The sums that will go towards the programme, AG Nandlall said caters for the designing of a syllabus and the remuneration of a lecturer. The university will also be paid for managing and accommodating the programme as well as certifying the students.

Opposition member of Parliament, Hon. Khemraj Ramjattan questioned how many persons would be certified at the end of the programme.

In response, the AG explained that an advertisement was placed and, so far, more than 65 persons have expressed interest in the programme

“Once I clarify sir, issues like salaries I anticipate we will get a greater response. That figure does not include police prosecutors who are currently in system and who we intend to engraft into the programme,” he clarified.

Once the programme is completed, the AG said prosecutors will be placed at Magistrates Courts throughout Guyana.