Anil Nandlall, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, has revealed that discussions are underway with the Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane George, to establish a statutory framework to regulate juries in Guyana. He noted that the current regulations governing juries are outdated and lack a proper statutory basis.
“The chancellor and I are discussing some type of statutory framework to regulate juries and the ways juries function,” Nandlall stated during remarks at a ceremony organized by UNDP, where US$400,000 worth of IT equipment and software was handed over to the Judiciary, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and various law enforcement agencies.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event at UNDP’s office on Duke Street, Kingston, Nandlall emphasized that Guyana might be unique in having a jury system without a “firm statutory footing.” He remarked, “Countries have gone in that direction, and Guyana may be the only country that has this free framework without a firm statutory footing, and I think we should correct that.”
The Attorney General further elaborated on the need to revamp the jury pool, which he described as old and outdated. “We have dozens of new companies that have been incorporated and new agencies established that are not in the jury pool,” he said. He added that many countries have established frameworks for jury operations that include oaths of office and legal protections for jurors.
Nandlall highlighted the necessity of creating clear provisions to accommodate jurors during their duties, suggesting that various factors need to be considered as the regulation overhaul progresses.
Additionally, he announced that the government plans to present a new Evidence Bill to the National Assembly, along with other legislative initiatives, in the coming months. This move is part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize the legal framework in Guyana.
