Guyana Conference on Criminal Justice Reform

By letter (emailed) dated 10 January 2024, the Attorney General’s Chambers & Ministry of Legal Affairs sought to confirmation that it will, in collaboration with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for Law, host a law conference in Georgetown, Guyana on or before August 2024. This conference will be part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) project currently being executed by the Attorney General’s Chambers & Ministry of Legal Affairs.

A steering committee has been established to plan, organise and execute this initiative. The Attorney General nominated Ms. Indira Anandjit, Project Coordinator, SCJS and Ms. Deborah Kumar, Deputy Solicitor General, as members of this proposed committee. These persons will seek a nominee from the local Judiciary as well as one from the local practicing Bar. The Academy Chairman nominated Justice of Appeal Alice Yorke Soo Hun (since appointed President of the Court of Appeal of Turks and Caicos) and Mr John Coombs, judicial counsel as his nominees to sit on the Committee.

The Committee has met twice (16 February and 1 March 2024) and has advanced plans for the Conference. Specifically, it was Agreed that the Conference will seek to advance the implementation of the Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform.

Justice Soo Hun was identified as central to the planning of the agenda for the Conference. The date of the Conference was set for 10-11 July 2024.

Planning continues for the effective convening of the Conference.