ACCORDING to statistics provided by the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic, since the establishment of the clinic in 1994, divorce cases are the most prominent, since it has the highest number of 11,749 for advice and representation.

The Guyana Legal Aid Clinic has provided its services to 25,784 persons spanning four regions between March 1994 and December 2019.

During that period 44,757 persons were interviewed and only 17,988 were for advice only. However 985 were ineligible for legal advice.

The Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (GLAC) predominantly dealt with civil matters including divorce, domestic violence, Deeds Poll and Affidavit, property disputes, injunction, tenant, bigamy, personal injury/death claims, division of property, custody and access, trespass, employment, among others.

Criminal matters included: narcotics, assault, threatening language, rape, carnal knowledge, murder, manslaughter, robbery, theft, disorderly behaviour and firearm possession.

The cases that carry the highest number for civil matters are divorces numbering 11,749, domestic violence numbering 2,202, custody access numbering 1,234 and deeds poll and affidavits and letters numbering 1,061.

Meanwhile the cases that carry the highest number for criminal matters are assault numbering 745, robbery and theft numbering 400, murder and manslaughter numbering 210, narcotics 91 and rape and carnal knowledge 87.

In cases where persons did not qualify for legal aid, they were referred to the private bar.
Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (formerly Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic) is a non-governmental, non-profit making, non-partisan organisation that provides legal aid to persons who cannot afford to employ the services of a member of the private bar.

GLAC opened its doors in March 1994 and receives an annual subvention from the government for the provision of attorneys-at-law, rent-free space amongst others. It also receives donations from other bodies.

The GLAC has four offices: King and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown, Region 4; Anna Regina Essequibo, Region 2; Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, Region Five; and Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, Region Six.