Caribbean countries seeking to replicate Guyana’s restorative justice model – AG

Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall on Thursday said that Guyana’s restorative justice model is gaining traction across the Caribbean, with several countries expressing interest in replicating the country’s approach.
The restorative justice programme is designed to give victims, offenders and community members a more direct and meaningful role in resolving disputes, particularly in cases involving lesser offences, where alternative measures may be more effective than lengthy court proceedings.

By emphasising mediation and structured dialogue, restorative justice seeks to reduce the burden on the judicial system while facilitating fair and timely resolutions.
Addressing the Restorative Justice Forum of Magistrates and Restorative Justice Officers on Thursday, Nandlall noted that Guyana’s model has attracted interest from its Caribbean neighbours.
He explained that he had directed that restorative justice offices be established alongside probation departments across the country, with funding provided for the initiative.
At the Magistrates’ courts, probation officers are expected to work alongside restorative justice officers, allowing Magistrates to access the services of both institutions. Nandlall noted that the functions of the two offices overlap significantly, making their collaboration important to the administration of justice.
“We have that unique blend, and the Caribbean is following our model because Guyana is not unique in terms of paucity of resources and being unable to establish restorative justice centres in every magisterial district. We are not unique in that regard, and when I explained how we have done it in Guyana, almost every [Caribbean] jurisdiction wants to emulate it and has already begun to emulate it,” he said.
While highlighting Guyana’s pioneering approach to restorative justice in the Caribbean, Nandlall stressed that the continuous training of restorative justice officers must remain a priority.
“We are a trendsetter on restorative justice in the Caribbean, and I believe former Chancellor Cummings said in a public address that restorative justice is here to stay. It is now a permanent and institutional part of our justice system. And you, the magistracy, are perhaps the most pivotal component of the machinery because you administer the system and preside over it. You will have to ensure, within your limits, whether the system works or not,” he said.
“We have to continue to train more, and we have to find ways and means of engaging more and more people. Remember, we have to find ways of reducing the workload on the system,” he added.
Nandlall also stressed the need to focus judicial resources on serious and complex cases that require formal adjudication, the application of complex laws and detailed legal submissions.
He explained that resources must be directed towards matters requiring formal court proceedings, while measures that allow other cases to be resolved fairly and justly would ensure that more complex matters receive the attention they require, ultimately strengthening the administration of justice.
“The system must concentrate on the serious cases that require adjudication, require the application of complex law, and require the receipt of submissions in complicated matters. The resources must be dedicated to those cases, and every measure that allows for the fair and just adjudication and disposal of cases, and that allows the more complicated matters to be dealt with using the available resources, would obviously be an important augment to the administration of justice,” he said.
Restorative justice in Guyana was formally established following the passage of the Restorative Justice Bill by the National Assembly on November 7, 2022.