Govt unveils $178.6M 19-volume law revision, law reports

– brings Guyana’s revised laws to completion

After years of conscientious work reviewing and updating legislation, the Government of Guyana has officially launched the Revised Laws of Guyana (as of December 31, 2022), along with the Law Reports of Guyana covering the period 2008 to 2021.

The official unveiling of the iconic red-bound law volumes. took place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Monday.
Delivering remarks, Attorney General Anil Nandlall disclosed that upon the government’s return to office in 2020, he immediately saw the need to restart the law revision process. He noted that Dr. Irfaan Ali granted prompt approval to move forward with the initiative.
He further explained that financial support was secured through the “Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean – IMPACT Justice Project,” funded by the Canadian government. In this regard, he reached out to Regional Director of the IMPACT, Professor Velma Newton and successfully obtained approximately US$350,000 to advance the project up to December 2021, especially as several significant pieces of legislation were enacted during 2022.
Turning to the continuation of the exercise, he noted that the initiative maintained strong support from the administration, with additional approval granted by the President and Cabinet to extend the project to the end of 2022 at a cost of US$100,000.
He further explained that in 2024, the project was expanded to include subsidiary legislation, with approximately 325 such pieces reviewed and incorporated into the revision process.
Funding for this component amounted to US$130,000, also provided by the Government of Guyana. Additionally, the printing of the Revised Laws was financed at a cost of $178,640,000, resulting in 200 complete sets of the 19-volume collection—commonly referred to as the red volumes.
According to him, this achievement was not the result of a single effort but rather a collaborative undertaking involving multiple contributors.
“The large vision process involved the staff of the Attorney General’s Chambers providing electronic files of the last revised edition of the Laws of Guyana and the gazetted publications of the Laws of Guyana for the period 2012 to 2020 and 2022.”
He also highlighted that the Law Revision Centre of Anguilla played a critical role in the technical execution of the project, including data capture, formatting, electronic consolidation, revision, and proofreading.
The Law Reports of Guyana (2008–2021)
Turning his attention to the Law Reports of Guyana (2008–2021), Nandlall stated that, similar to the revised laws initiative, he once again approached Head of state Dr. Irfaan Ali for support and authorization to resume publication. He noted that approval was granted without hesitation, and he was instructed to proceed.
Law reporting involves recording and publishing judicial decisions made by courts, providing a record of these decisions along with summaries of relevant facts and legal principles considered in each case. Its purpose is to guide future legal proceedings and promote consistency, predictability, and fairness in the administration of justice.
He noted that the Government of Ireland fully funded this project, including the printing of 750 sets of the 14-volume Law Reports, and that the project was extended to 2021 to ensure comprehensive coverage.
“The Government of Ireland funded this project in its entirety at a cost of $92,085,000, including the printing of 750 sets of 14 volumes of the Law Reports. We deliberately extended the project to 2021 so that we could include all relevant cases in the reports.”
According to Nandlall, the goal is for the Attorney General’s Chambers to be fully equipped with the legal and technical capacity to sustain continuous law revision and law reporting.
“The goal is for the Attorney General’s Chambers to be fully equipped with legal and technical capacity so that continuous law revision and law reporting can be realized. Several lawyers in the chambers have received training in law revision and consolidation by the Regional Law Revision Centre in Anguilla. The Law Revision Unit, of which I am the chair, will preside over this exercise. With respect to our reporting, Professor Velma Newton has already begun training several state counsels in the chambers in preparing cases for the next set of Law Reports. This exercise will continue.”
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Guyana, he extended profound gratitude to the many individuals whose dedicated and skilled contributions made the projects possible, noting that their unflinching efforts were instrumental in bringing the initiatives to completion.
While acknowledging that it would be impossible to name everyone, he singled out Professor Velma Newton for special recognition, emphasizing that a significant portion of the work was undertaken by her. He highlighted her energy, diligence, and perseverance, describing her contribution as nothing short of phenomenal.
Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali urges the Attorney General to convene a broad presentation involving all sectors of society, including the private sector and other key stakeholders impacted by the process.
“I would like the AG to do is to have a presentation with all of society, the private sector, and everyone who is affected and part of this process, in which we clearly outline how the laws, how this new version, how it is linked to everyday life, how it addresses these issues and challenges, how it addresses some of the things that we are going to be doing as a government, as a country, moving to digitization, moving to electronic form of governance.”
He emphasized that no society can function or endure without laws, noting that in the absence of rules to restrain power, authority becomes unchecked. He expressed concern about individuals who believe they are entitled to exploit access and abuse systems, stressing that such behavior would not be tolerated in other jurisdictions. He added that, based on his own inquiries, such actions would be unacceptable in places like the United States or elsewhere.
“A society without laws cannot endure. Without rules to restrain power, authority becomes unchecked. Without legal protections, the weak are left exposed. In such a condition, order collapses, justice disappears, and society descends into chaos.”