ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, emphasised the transformative power of restorative justice, describing it as a holistic lifestyle rather than merely a legal practice.
His remarks came on Friday during the closing session of a five-day Trainer of Trainers programme aimed at equipping 17 participants with the tools to implement restorative justice principles across Guyana.
Held at the Guyana Police Force’s Officers’ Training Centre, the initiative represents an effort by the government in fostering a justice system that prioritises reconciliation over retribution.

According to the Government of Canada, restorative justice refers to “an approach to justice that seeks to repair harm by providing an opportunity for those harmed and those who take responsibility for the harm to communicate about and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime.”
In his address, Nandlall highlighted the urgent need for change in the traditional adversarial legal approach, advocating for restorative justice as an alternative that promotes healing, accountability, and community cohesion.
“Restorative justice is a lifestyle. What that means is that, not only in your professional output and engagements are you to use the principles and precepts of restorative justice, but you are also to do so in the conduct of your day-to-day activities as you live your life. So, a great place to practice it and become, perhaps, an expert at it, is in your home,” Nandlall said.

He added: “And if you begin to use it, and tell your psychology, your physiology, and your emotional system that these are the concepts you should utilise in your everyday, ordinary engagements, then it will become entrenched in your psyche and become part and parcel of your personality.”
Nandlall said that restorative justice promotes dialogue, social engagement, and peace, moving away from confrontation and conflict. According to him, the participants are seen as pioneers and will play a critical role in training and implementing restorative justice across the country.
“Today, you are part of history. In generations to come, it is in this little room that the 17 or 18 of you will be referred to as being part of that birthing process that produced restorative justice and made it a permanent feature of our legal system,” he related.

The Attorney-General said that restorative justice has gained traction globally. Regionally, he pointed out that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has been a strong proponent of restorative practices.
He noted that the 2023 “Needham’s Point Declaration” from the CCJ Academy of Law highlighted restorative justice as a cornerstone of modern legal systems in the Caribbean.
Nandlall highlighted that Guyana is leading the way in adopting this paradigm, supported by the legislative foundation of the Restorative Justice Act of 2022. This act has facilitated the establishment of a Restorative Justice Centre located at Lot 341 East Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown.

To support the integration of restorative justice, he said the government is in the process of establishing offices for restorative justice offices in all regions. These offices will work alongside probation offices to address cases referred by magistrates.

He had previously stated that restorative justice applies to non-violent offences, such as minor interpersonal conflicts, which constitute a significant portion of cases in the magistrates’ courts.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dianne Williams, International Mediator and Mediation Coach and Licensed Trainer of Trainers, explained that this group of participants were “handpick” by the Restorative Justice Centre to receive a refresher course.
“They’ve all been officially trained in or have experience with restorative practices. They have the knowledge to execute, and then they are able to debrief at the end of the day, and they’re able to engage in self-care so that they can continue what is, in effect, a journey. Restorative practices are a lifestyle, and with this training, they have begun a very deep but satisfying journey,” she said.