– AG says legal system must evolve to meet new societal challenges
The government will establish justice centres across the country, including in Region Seven to support the enforcement of the Restorative Justice Act.
This was revealed by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, during a sensitisation and awareness session at the Bartica Community Centre Ground on Tuesday.
Restorative justice is a problem-solving approach that engages victims, offenders, and the community.
These programmes operate on the principle that criminal behaviour not only breaches the law but also harms victims and the community.
The Restorative Justice Bill was passed in the National Assembly in November 2022.
An office will be established in Region Seven through a close collaborative effort between the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Human Services and Social Security.
“Bartica, you will get a restorative justice department shortly, right here in this region where you can participate,” the minister announced.
Minister Nandlall pointed out that training programmes have commenced with hundreds of people participating in courses in the areas of law and restorative justice.
“Guyana, I am pleased to say, is leading the initiative in the region. We have trained magistrates, prosecutors, Guyana Police Force members, hundreds of toshaos, probation officers, religious and community leaders,” the AG said.
He said the initiative will be aimed at positively impacting young people who may come into contact with the law.
“It is intended to keep our young people who may have had unfortunate infractions with the law out of prison. Putting a young man into prison…doesn’t necessarily make [him] a better person,” he noted.
The minister said it is the government’s intention to introduce the concept to students for them to know about an alternative course of action that they can take when dealing with conflict.
“Restorative justice, once practiced in the schools, can begin to shape the lives of our young people very early and move them away from a possible future course that will collide with the law,” he posited.
The implementation of restorative justice is part of the PPP/C Government’s commitment to strengthening the justice system in Guyana and reducing the prison population through alternative sentencing.