WITH the new gazetted order, the Guyana Judiciary System is allowed to conduct live streaming of court hearings or allow a media representative to join the hearing virtually.

This new order is a part of the precautionary measures for the court, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The orders were gazetted on Monday June 22, 2020, under the title, “Practice Directions No. 2 of 2020 –Remote Hearings Direction 2020 …827.” The orders allow the court to consider options while preserving the principles of justice.
The Judiciary had suspended all in-person hearings and face-to-face operations to slow the spread of COVID-19; as such the gazette highlighted ways in which the court could operate, while allowing the public to be a part of the hearings.

One of those ways is that information on a hearing could be made public by an official of the court who would provide an audio of the hearing, and, if available, a video of the hearing. The audio or video will be made public only on the type of matters that media operatives have access to.

The court also has the option of allowing a media representative to join in the hearing virtually. This could be achieved by the court hosting the hearings virtually. The court will create a virtual lobby or waiting room so that permitted participants like the defendant, attorney, virtual complainant or media representative can be added to the hearing.

The hearings can also be live-streamed if the court chooses not to use either of the two methods stated above. However, the live stream can only be broadcast to the public after the authorisation of a judicial officer is given.

On March 23, 2020, days after Guyana recorded its first death from the deadly virus, the Judiciary of Guyana gazetted orders which halted all in-court hearings. The emergency COVID-19 directions were later implemented and later updated by notice on April 3, 2020 and then on April 5, 2020.
The precautionary measures outlined were slated to take immediate effect and last for a period of one month unless it was revoked or extended by notice, after an assessment of the health situation at the time.

With the new update to the emergency COVID-19 directions, persons will not be allowed to attend court for any hearing.