– Guyana to be Arbitration capital of the Caribbean

MINISTER of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C. stated that there are a number of transformational changes coming soon to Guyana’s legal sector.

The Minister made these remarks as he spoke to reporters on the side-line of an event on Wednesday morning. During this engagement, the minister noted that the government currently has one of the most aggressive legislative agendas in recent times in the country.

To back this up, he said that there are several transformative pieces of legislation waiting for debate in the National Assembly.

As such, he mentioned the Bail Bill which, he said, is perhaps the most modern manifestation of the law in relation to bail across the Caribbean and even the Commonwealth.

Some of the other Bills awaiting debate, he said, are the Higher Purchase Bill, E-Transaction Bill, and constitutional reform. This Constitutional Reform Bill, the AG noted, will trigger the important process of constitutional reform.

Additionally, Nandlall stated that also to be taken to Parliament is the most modern arbitration bill in the Caribbean.

Arbitration is known as a form of alternative dispute resolution which sees matters being resolved outside of the judiciary.

“In fact, it’s described as a CARICOM model because we intend to make Guyana an arbitration capital of not only the Caribbean,” the Attorney General said.

He went on to say that in support of this Bill, the government has begun a series of training exercises which commenced last year on the concept of arbitration, and its importance and the benefits that can be derived from making Guyana an arbitration destination.

Nandlall highlighted that a number of the contracts that are being entered into in the infrastructure and oil and gas sectors have arbitration clauses which require these arbitrations to be taken to different parts of the world.

He said, “That is so because we don’t have the arbitration infrastructure here, legislative and otherwise, that is considered modern and that meets international standards.

“We intend to change that; the arbitration industry alone is a multibillion-dollar industry.”

As such, he mentioned that the government will continue to ensure that work is done in the legal sector to transform Guyana. (Shamar Meusa)