IDB lauds Guyana for progressive leadership on DV laws, policies

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has recognised Guyana’s progressive legislative agenda, particularly as it relates to tackling societal issues such as domestic violence.

Next week, the IDB will host a regional high-level symposium in Barbados to advance state responses to domestic violence in the Caribbean. Guyana is among 18 countries from the region that will participate in the event.
In fact, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, during his weekly programme, “Issues in the News”, revealed that the IDB has commended the policy and legislative work Guyana has done in the areas of domestic and sexual violence.
“Guyana has demonstrated true and thorough leadership for the region in the areas of domestic and sexual violence legislation and policy. It would therefore be an honour to have your presence at this symposium, to participate in a panel of your peers… So, we are recognised by the IDB for our work in these important areas,” an invitation letter from the IDB read.
According to Nandlall, Guyana was also invited to participate in two other similar regional conferences next month dealing with law and legislation in the Caribbean.
One, he explained, is a conference hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on violence as a public health hazard in the Caribbean, while the other will be hosted by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for Law.
Guyana has been invited as one of the main presenters at both events – something the Attorney General posited is a direct result and recognition of the investments that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administrations have made in recent years to bolster the local judiciary.
“[It is] because of the work that we are doing legislatively and in policy. In fact, the symposium that’s being held by the CCJ primarily focuses on how Governments can assist in the rule of law, its enforcement, and judicial development. And Guyana is being looked at again because of the crucial role the executive is playing in nurturing and advancing the rule of law and in resourcing the judiciary.”
“The judiciary of Guyana has never been resourced in the manner in which it is being resourced now – never in its history, and we are seeing the benefits of these investments… We are seeing the public’s trust in the judiciary increasing,” AG Nandlall posited.
Nandlall further boasts that they have managed to almost eliminate the decades-old backlog that has burdened the High Court and are now aggressively tackling the backlog at the Court of Appeal. He also cited other initiatives that have enhanced the magisterial system, like new courthouses across the country, the addition of 12 new Magistrates, and the introduction of mobile courts – all equipped with the technological apparatus of any courts across the region.
But even as Guyana is being lauded for its legislative and policy work on domestic violence, he remains cognisant of the fact that domestic violence continues to be a societal plague.
“Domestic violence is a serious problem in our country… But the State can only play a role to a certain extent,” he contended, citing various investments made to address this scourge.
Nandlall also highlighted that all the Police Stations across the country have been equipped with special capabilities for domestic violence, while Police officers have been trained on how to take and treat domestic violence complaints.
Additionally, specialised vehicles and facilities are in place to address domestic violence complaints at the Police Stations.
The Government has also set up facilities across the country to help domestic violence victims so that they do not have to return to abusive homes and has trained counsellors and social workers throughout the country to assist domestic violence victims.
“We have put a law in place that is of its most modern type that the IDB just recognises as a model law for the Caribbean… [And] they want to use our Domestic Family Violence Act as a model law for the rest of the Caribbean because it has so many different provisions in it, both civil procedures and civil remedies, as well as criminal remedies. We have put all of that in place to tackle this deadly problem of domestic violence. Our experience has shown that domestic violence gets progressively worse and, on many occasions, it ends up in death. This is not something that we take lightly,” the AG stressed.