…Govt, Jamaican college in pact to establish law school in Guyana

The APNU+AFC Government is moving to establish a law school here and today Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams will sign an agreement with the University College of Caribbean Law College of Americas (UCC) to begin discussion and carry out a feasibility study to commence the process.

This development is welcome news to Guyanese and a boon for the hundreds of law students here and in other Caribbean countries who have had to postpone their legal training at the Hugh Wooding Law School owing to space and financial constraints.

While in opposition, Williams had urged the swift establishment of an accredited local law school here as part of steps to ensure that the profession does not become “elitist” one. “Whatever you do, you have to ensure that the legal profession does not evolve into an elitist one where the ordinary man with brains; where the ordinary child who is very bright, but because of the lack of funds for whatever reason could be deprived of an opportunity of becoming a lawyer and serving this nation,” Williams was quoted in another section of the media as telling the audience at a symposium at the University of Guyana back in 2014.

He would later tell a news conference when he became Attorney General that a committee would be established to look into a law school here and that a public/private venture could be an option as it will give Guyanese students the opportunity to stay here and study.

Important to students
Contacted for a comment on the matter, Williams said the development is very important for the students. “There are hundreds of students who have been unable to enter – law graduates who have been unable to enter the Hugh Wooding Law School or even the Sir Norman Manley Law School much less the Eugene Dupuch (Law School) in the Bahamas which is extremely expensive.” “So this law school will be very welcome and vital in this region, as I said there are hundreds of law graduates in Jamaica, in Barbados and Trinidad and in Guyana and also in the OECS countries who cannot enter into the Hugh Wooding Law School. In fact, our partners actually have a university college in Jamaica that teaches law students and they would be persons to enter into this law school in Guyana. So there are many people who will benefit. And we believe that it is very viable and both parties believe that it will be a fruitful and productive exercise,” Williams said. He said government is targeting 2018 to start up the school.

Starting point
Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed today is intended to serve as the starting-point for negotiations concerning the project and to set forth conditions for the preparation of a definitive agreement between the university and government. Guyana Chronicle was told that at this time the parties are considering the possibility of a joint venture project to establish the school, with the university owning majority of the shares.

Additionally, Guyana Chronicle understands that the parties agree that the law school will be developed within the Guyana legal and regulatory framework, with necessary approvals for the establishment and the accreditation of same being established by the Government of Guyana. Government and the university have also agreed to engage the services of a competent professional to carry out the feasibility study within 30 days to determine the viability of the project.

Guyanese students have struggled with the system that allows them entry to the Hugh Wooding Law School and only late last year Williams was able to secure a collaborative agreement between the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and UG paving the way for the top 25 Guyanese Law Students to have automatic entry into the Hugh Wooding Law School.

Headquartered in Worthington Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica, UCC said on its website that it is an affiliate/recognised institution of the University of London. UCC programmes are also accredited by the recognised regional accreditation body and regarded as one of the top private universities in the Caribbean. UOL is internationally accredited and recognised as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The University College of the Caribbean (UCC) is the largest private institution in Jamaica and is a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Consortium.

In 2002, the Institute of Management Sciences (IMS – est. January 1992) merged with the Institute of Management and Production, (IMP – est. January 1976) to establish UCC, a premier tertiary educational facility affording individuals the ability to follow their academic dreams through flexible study options and hassle free payment options.