-aims to enhance judicial system for timelier justice delivery

The 2025 national budget was unveiled on Friday, placing significant emphasis on enhancing the justice sector to improve access to justice and modernise the judicial system. With an allocation of $5.8 billion, this year’s budget represents funding to enhance legal services and infrastructure.
During his budget presentation to the National Assembly on Friday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Ashni Singh stressed the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to justice across the country.

“Mr. Speaker, the timely provision of justice relies on a fully-functioning and adequately resourced judicial system. In this regard, Government has invested in infrastructure, technological capabilities, and capacity building, and to improve access to justice countrywide,” Dr. Singh stated.
He said that between 2021 and 2023, several courts were constructed to enhance access to justice. The Senior Minister explained that in 2024, the Court of Appeal was expanded and magistrate’s courts were built at Port Kaituma in Region One (Barima-Waini), Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). Previously, he said magistrate’s courts were established in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice); Vigilance, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD); and Berbice, along with upgrades to the High Court in Georgetown.

He highlighted the increase in human resource capacity as a key achievement of the judiciary. “We have just seen the appointment of 10 puisne judges, nine magistrates, and [three commissioners of title], dramatically increasing the human resource capacity of the judiciary. We now have 20 judges and 24 magistrates, enabling a timelier hearing and disposal of matters.”

He stated that the government has supported the recruitment of additional prosecutors, referencing the prosecutorial programme that has resulted in the appointment of 35 special prosecutors.  He noted that digital transformation in the judiciary has been accelerated with the implementation of the electronic litigation (e-litigation) system for the High Court in all three counties, the launch of the court case management system for the magistrate’s courts, and the installation of recording systems in the courts.  “These initiatives will help to more efficiently manage the recording, scheduling, tracking and disposition of cases in the court system.”

The 2025 budget focuses on critical areas such as modernising court facilities, and further implementing restorative justice. Dr. Singh revealed that work is set to commence on magistrate’s courts at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD); and Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), this year, with a combined investment of $1.9 billion. The completion and commissioning of magistrate’s courts at Anna Regina (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Mabaruma, Region One, and Timehri, EBD, are slated for later this year.

Minister Singh stated that this year will see the continued implementation of restorative justice, with plans to establish similar Restorative Justice Centres in each of the 10 administrative regions, in addition to the one in Georgetown. He said: “The restorative justice approach engages the victims and offenders with the aim of giving non-capital crime offenders a chance to reintegrate into their communities while still holding them accountable.”  The law revisions exercise, along with the publication of law reports, will be completed this year, the minister told the National Assembly. “We’ve had teams of advisors working on this work and the new consolidated version of the law reports and the new consolidated versions of the Laws of Guyana will be concluded this year and printed and published in 2025.” According to him, “Six of the 14 volumes of the law reports were completed and sent for printing.  These initiatives will require $395 million which is provided in Budget 2025,” he stated.  The last law revision exercise was conducted in 2012, and consequential court rulings for the years 2008 to 2021 are currently being compiled.

Additionally, he noted that the Constitution Reform Commission will receive $218.9M to continue advancing its critical work. The 2025 budgetary allocations for the legal sector underscore the government’s dedication to fostering a robust and inclusive judicial system.

With substantial investments in infrastructure, technology, and human resources, the coming year promises transformative changes aimed at making justice accessible to all Guyanese.