Govt blocks lawyers from pursuing scholarship 

– Nandlall says no money available to pay economic costs  

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has reportedly barred two lawyers, Candiacia Lewis and Ayana Fable attached to the AG Chambers from pursuing their masters in legislative drafting through an Impact Justice-sponsored programme at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.

Nandlall who only two weeks ago took up the post reportedly told the lawyers both attached to the Parliamentary division that government cannot find the funds for them to attend the programme. Two other lawyers previously attended the said programme: Diane Woolford and Ariel Haynes. Village Voice was told that the APNU+AFC Government had undertaken to foot the economic costs for the lawyers, which would include meals and other incidentals. Impact Justice fully paid for the tuition and the university fees, amounting to Bds$10,090.

A senior official at the AG Chambers bemoaned the position taken by Nandlall, saying that at a time when Guyana has to move to draft new legislation to cater for its burgeoning oil and gas industry there is now more than before a greater demand for legislative drafters. “This is a sad situation…these young ladies should be allowed to pursue their studies,” the official who wished not to be named said. Commenting on the alleged lack of funding, the official said given the COVID-19 situation the lawyers might very have to do the course online. “So I hope good sense prevails and this situation is not allowed to follow through.”

Nandlall could not be reached for a comment on the matter. However at his swearing-in earlier this month he told that media that the new government will be pursuing an active legislative agenda. He told reporters that there are many important pieces of legislation that have to be passed in this era, especially considering the fact that Guyana is now entering into a new economic vista as an oil-producing nation. “On the last occasion when I functioned as Attorney General it was in a very difficult political circumstance because we were in a minority Government and it was extraordinarily difficult to get legislation passed and even budgets passed in the Parliament,” Nandlall was quoted in a Guyana Times August 4 article as saying. “I do not have that debilitating factor now, I have greater independence and I have a greater opportunity to function in that office,” he posited.

On its website IMPACT Justice said it is seeking to strengthen legislation and treaty policy in the region through the drafting of model legislation to assist CARICOM Member States in implementing their legislative agendas.  The Project also sponsors the training of legal drafters to increase the pool of professional legal draftspersons available to the region. To improve legal services in the region, IMPACT Justice drafted a Model Legal Profession Bill which contains an updated code of ethics, strengthened disciplinary and accounting provisions and a regime for continuing legal professional development. Under this component, IMPACT Justice is increasing citizens’ knowledge and awareness of their legal rights and of other areas of the law.