ATTORNEY GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has described the state of Guyana’s legal profession as falling short of the standards required to uphold the rule of law, while announcing government support for legislative reform aimed at strengthening accountability within both the Bar and the judiciary.
Speaking on his weekly programme Issues in the News, Nandlall said a strong, ethical legal profession and a vibrant Bar Association are fundamental to any society that wishes to adhere to the rule of law. However, he acknowledged that Guyana’s legal profession does not currently meet those expectations.
“The legal profession is very crucial in this equation. A responsible, educated, ethically driven legal profession and a vibrant Bar Association are prerequisites for a society that wishes to adhere to the rule of law,” Nandlall said. “In Guyana, sadly, the legal profession does not meet those standards.”
He noted that his comments were made with “the greatest of respect,” emphasising that he himself is a member of the profession. Nandlall pointed out that concerns about the legal profession are not new and have also been raised by the judiciary during engagements on the administration of justice.
According to the Attorney General, the judiciary has called for legislative reform to the Legal Practitioners Act, a move that the government intends to fully support. He disclosed that discussions on this issue are expected to begin early in the new year.
“The judiciary itself highlighted this issue in their engagement. And they are calling for legislative reform to the Legal Practitioners Act. And the government will support that measure,” he said. “In fact, I will be meeting with the Guyana Bar Association in January to begin that conversation.”
Nandlall also spoke directly to the experiences of ordinary citizens who interact with the legal system, suggesting that dissatisfaction with legal representation and judicial processes is widespread.
“You who are listening to me, any one of you would know, if you have not experienced it yourself, would know a person who is dissatisfied with the way their case is being handled by their lawyers and or the way the case is being handled in the judiciary,” he said.
“I could bet you my bottom dollar that you have had that experience personally or you know someone who has had that experience. That must change.”
He stressed repeatedly that meaningful reform is necessary and unavoidable, arguing that both the judiciary and the legal profession must be made more accountable to the public they serve.
“That must change. And we have to make both the judiciary and the legal profession more accountable,” Nandlall said, adding that he believes both institutions are willing to work with the government to achieve these objectives.
The Attorney General said he is aware that the judiciary has already committed itself to improving accountability through internal policies and strategies. He expressed confidence that the legal profession would also support reforms aimed at strengthening oversight and discipline.
“I believe that both the judiciary and the legal profession will work with us to achieve these important concepts, these important objectives,” he said. “The judiciary professes to be pursuing policies and strategies to make it more accountable. And I can’t see the legal profession would not want to move in that direction.”
Central to the proposed reforms, Nandlall said, is the amendment of the Legal Practitioners Act to establish a stronger disciplinary framework for misconduct by lawyers and judicial officers.
“We have to have a stronger regime of discipline for errant practitioners as well as errant judicial officers,” he said, while noting that any such reforms must respect constitutional boundaries and adhere to principles of accountability and transparency.
Nandlall also placed Guyana’s challenges within a broader international context, stating that similar issues exist in other jurisdictions and are not unique to Guyana.
“Guyana is not the only country in the world facing these problems,” he said, adding that the government intends to confront them directly.
He further referenced the judiciary’s strategic plan for the period 2024 to 2031, noting that it has the full backing of the government and the President.
“The judiciary has a plan, a vision, and we support that plan, a strategic plan from 2024 to 2031. And the President has expressed his full support for that plan,” Nandlall said.