-Former Port Kaituma learner becomes first attorney from her village

 

FORMER Port Kaituma Community High School student, Aleria Aliya Heywood, was, on November 5, 2025, admitted to the Bar of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

 

Her petition for admission was graciously presented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Senior Counsel Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack, before the Honourable Chief Justice Mr. Navindra Singh.

 

Standing before the court surrounded by her family, friends, and mentors, Heywood described the occasion as “the longest anticipated day of her life.”

She emerges from humble beginnings and proudly becomes the first attorney-at-law in her family, the first from her village, and notably, the first Indigenous person from her community to practise at the Criminal Bar.

 

In her address to the court, Heywood paid tribute to her hometown, highlighting that its true wealth lies in its people- those who have shaped her academic success through their steadfast encouragement and prayers.

 

She reflected on her upbringing, noting that although she lacked the opportunities available to city children, she made the most of what she had.

 

Viewing each day with optimism, she believed that she could achieve anything through determination and faith irrespective of where she was raised. From walking miles to attend extra lessons to studying with little to no electricity, these experiences, she said, have grounded her and taught her that even the most distant dreams can be realised.

 

Education has always been central to Heywood’s life. She credited her parents for instilling in her and her siblings the value of academic excellence.

 

After completing her primary education at Port Kaituma Primary School, she attended Port Kaituma Community High School, where she wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, earning four Grade One and six Grade Twos. Given her academic success, she was named the school’s top performer and graduated as the valedictorian in 2017.

 

Added to her academic excellence, she represented her school at the Annual Youth Parliament in Georgetown in 2016.

 

Heywood’s academic journey was not without its challenges. She recalled with humility, her family’s sacrifices which included carrying their kitchen stove to school to facilitate her Home Economics assessments, measuring her Agricultural Science poultry pen with a piece of wood due to resource constraints, and handwriting her School-Based Assessments (SBAs) since printing facilities were unavailable.

 

Heywood was persistent in studying long hours despite the limited access to electricity in her community. During periods of no electricity, she would continue her studies in the dim light emanating from kerosene oil lamps.

She also remembers that she was without a business teacher for nearly two years, forcing her to teach herself from the CSEC syllabus and preparing independently for the examinations as they drew near.

 

DESTINED FOR SUCESS

 

Following her success at the CSEC examinations, Heywood attended the Nations School of Sixth Form Studies from 2017 to 2019, where she successfully completed the Sixth Form curriculum and was awarded a diploma.

 

Heywood then enrolled at the University of Guyana, where she commenced studies in the Bachelor of Social Science (International Relations) Programme. She obtained a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.8 and thereafter, she was granted entry into the university’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme

 

In September 2020, Heywood commenced reading for the LLB and in October 2023, she was awarded the Bachelor of Laws Degree (distinction), with a GPA of 3.66, the fifth highest for the graduating cohort that year.

 

Determined to fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming an attorney-at-law and despite financial constraints, Heywood was accepted to the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2023, However, she faced the immense challenge of financing her studies.

 

She recalled fearing that her dreams might be deferred. However, just two days before she was due to leave for Trinidad, she received news that she had been awarded a Government of Guyana scholarship – a moment she described as a testament to God’s divine timing.

 

Her resilience was again tested when she faced health challenges which required urgent surgery during her final examinations. Nonetheless, she persevered in faith and successfully completed her studies.

 

While at the law school, she served as Arts Coordinator of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) and was also a member of the school’s choir.

 

Heywood credited her success to her hardworking parents, whose sacrifices and encouragement made her achievement possible.

 

She emphasised that although her mother did not complete secondary school, she constantly underscored the value of education and encouraged her to pursue every opportunity. Her father, she said, taught her that her life’s purpose is to serve others—an ethos that continues to guide her professional path.

 

Motivated by her passion for public service, Heywood now practises at the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, where she aims to contribute meaningfully to the pursuit of justice.

 

In closing her address, Heywood expressed deep gratitude to God, her parents, family, and friends. She vowed to uphold the integrity and honour of the legal profession, stating: “As I embark on this noble profession, I am guided by the provisions encompassed in the Legal Practitioner’s Act, Chapter 4:01 and the Code of Conduct for Attorneys-at-Law. I am guided by the words of its preamble which states that the underlying aim is that an attorney-at-law should at all times conduct himself in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and efficiency of the legal system and the legal profession. I am also guided that integrity and judicial independence are the twin pillars of justice, and I vow to honour that process of justice. I vow to uphold my indispensable duty to the court, and to my clients and I vow to remain humble and to serve with excellence.”