Increased alternative sentencing for Berbice residents
Legal Affairs Minister Nandlall interacts with police prosecutor inspector Grace Bristol as Commissioner Hoppie listens in
As part of the IDB-funded support for Criminal Justice System Project, today Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall handed over a new Court Superintendent Office at the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam.
The project was conceptualized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in an effort to avoid prison overcrowding across Guyana by reducing pre-trial detention, and more so, increasing the use of alternative sentencing.
For individuals accused of minor offences, the project will seek to reduce pre-trial detention; with such a move, better legal assistance will be provided in that aspect to improve the prosecutors’ ability to handle matters based on the seriousness and gravity of the offence as it regards to individuals who are accused of non-violent acts.
The project aims to enhance and create a much more strengthened judiciary, with a well designed and implemented restorative justice program.
With the first component listed above as one of two categories of the program, the second component seeks to maximize the use alternative sentencing within the criminal justice system in Guyana, which includes strengthening the country’s legal drafting functions and modernizing probation services.
“This project is simply a part of the Government’s agenda of building a criminal justice system that is modern and efficient, and that can deliver the quality and type of criminal justice to all the people of our country,” Nandlall said.
He further stated that the project deals with several important concepts, since the criminal justice system is very important as it relates to the overall developmental equation of the country.
“A person’s access to justice is as important as one’s access to health and education, so important is the right to be protected by the law and to be afforded a justice system that ensures that your rights and freedom are respected and protected.”
Nandlall said an important mainstay that forms the fundamental pillar upon which the criminal justice rests is the rights of all victims or rights of the state in the administration of criminal justice.
However, to achieve this objective, Commissioner of Police (acting) Nigel Hoppie, noted that the Guyana Police Force must be prepared and equipped with the requisite tools and systems to identify crime threats and patterns, apprehended offenders, and successfully prosecute them.
He noted that with the strengthening of the prosecution services, the provision of equipment and support, are viewed as aids that will enable the organization to improve its prosecutorial system.
“This additional support is an indication of the importance the Inter-American Development Bank and the Ministry of Legal Affairs have placed upon our prosecutorial units, countrywide. For these aids, the administration of the force would like to express sincere appreciation to the Government of Guyana, and more specifically the Ministry of Legal Affairs, for its coordination and continuous support to the force.”
