Former Attorney General and Senior Counsel Doodnauth Singh is remembered as a man of “tremendous intellect” and as a “fine advocate” as tributes continue to flow following his passing at the Balwant Singh Hospital two days ago. He was 80 years old.

Singh, who was admitted in 1959 to practice in Guyana, led a storied legal and political career. Admitted to the local bar in 1959, he was a legal advocate for half a century, eventually calling time on his time in this legal profession when he retired as Attorney General, a post which he had held since 2001.
The former Attorney General also wielded tremendous standing in the region, particularly in Dominica, Trinidad and Grenada. In Dominica, he served notably as a Special Prosecutor in the case against former Prime Minister Patrick John who was tried, and later acquitted, on charges of coup plotting against the Dominican government. Meanwhile, in Grenada he was part of the prosecutorial team which tried those accused of the murder of the Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop. His seeming knack for prosecuting coup plotters was also demonstrated in Trinidad, when the Jamat al Muslimeen group was tried for attempting to overthrow the government of ANR Robinson.
In Guyana, he was noted for his role as defence counsel in the frequent trials of political activists, who were agitating against the Burnham administration. This included the 1974 trials of PPP’s political activist Arnold Rampersaud who was on a trumped up murder charge.
The Attorney General also faced his share of controversy. In 1997, as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission wen he came under tremendous pressure after he expedited the swearing in of then President-elect Janet Jagan to thwart a legal challenge by the then main opposition party, the People’s National Congress. He was also criticized for allegedly declaring Mrs. Jagan as the electoral victor, without consulting opposition commissioners. The aftermath of those polls were subsequently marked by large street protests.

President of the Guyana Bar Association-Ronald Burch-Smith
“I’m very saddened to learn of his passing,” President of the Guyana Bar Association, Ronald Burch-Smith told this newspaper, adding that the late criminal lawyer was well-regarded for his courtroom skills.
Smith also extended his sympathy to Singh’s family.