Yesterday, in accordance with the provisions of the Law Reform Commission (Amendment) Act, No. 4 of 2020, the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C. wrote to a number of agencies inviting their submissions of two nominees each, to be considered for appointment to the Law Reform Commission.
Pursuant to Section 4(1) (b) of the Law Reform Commission Act, No. 4 of 2016, the Minister of Legal Affairs is required to advise the President on the appointment of members to the Law Reform Commission established by section 3 of that Act.
Section 4(1) provides –
“The members of the Commission [which shall not be less than three nor more than seven] shall be appointed by the President as follows: Two members acting in accordance with the President’s own deliberate judgment; and the other members, upon the advice of the Minister after the Minister consults with the organisations that appear to represent the legal profession; the private sector;
the trade union movement; the entities representing the interest of consumers’ affairs; the religious community; the Rights Commissions established under article 212G of the Constitution; and the National Toshaos’ Council established under the Amerindian Act”
In accordance with section 4 (3) and (4) of the Act, a person is deemed to be suitably qualified if that person holds, or has held office as a judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge; or the person has had a minimum of ten years’ experience as an attorney-at-law; as a teacher of law in a University; in banking, industry, economics or commerce; in social or natural sciences; or in law enforcement.
The agencies written to are as follows:
Guyana Bar Association
Berbice Bar Association
Private Sector Commission
Federation of Independent Trade Union of Guyana
Guyana Consumers Association
Inter-Religious Organisation
Ethnic Relations Commission
Rights of the Child Commission
Women and Gender Equality Commission
National Toshaos’ Council
These organizations are to submit their nominees to the Ministry of Legal Affairs by the 22nd day of March, 2021. The letter dispatched to these agencies and the responses thereto, constitute the consultation, required by section 4 (1) (b) of the Law Reform Commission (Amendment) Act.
