Legal Aid Clinic should be accessible to hinterland communities – UNDP

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud recently met with officials from the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (GLAC), and noted the need to publicise the services available to the public.
During the virtual meeting, Minister Persaud met with Chairman of the Board, Bishwa Panday; Director and Board Secretary Josephine Whitehead and Director Kashir Khan.
GLAC provides free or subsidised legal aid to persons who cannot afford to employ the services of a member of the Bar.
The Clinic, which opened its doors in March 1994, receives an annual subvention from the Government. It has five locations: King and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown, Region Four; Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Vrymens Ervin, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Its objectives include: provision of public education about the basic legal rights and duties and the legal process, and collaborating and networking with the Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) providing similar or complementary services. It has a complement of eight Attorneys-at-Law and is governed by a Board of Directors.
The Minister expressed her desire to “see an expansion of legal aid services across the country, an increase in the complement of lawyers, not only for accessibility ,but [to] have court matters completed.” Also, at the meeting, discussions ensued on ways to embolden additional lawyers to volunteer their services, bolster the GLAC’s public image and financial support. At the meeting’s conclusion, Panday indicated that he would submit a proposal to the Minister for review.

Universally accessible
Meanwhile, a recent needs assessment of the criminal justice system of nine Caribbean countries conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has recommended that Guyana make legal aid universally accessible in all geographic locations, including the hinterland.
“In addition to Georgetown, legal aid services can be accessed at offices at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast; Vrymens Ervin, New Amsterdam, Berbice, and Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice. The view has been expressed that the number of prisoners on remand is affected by lack of access to legal counsel. It is recommended to make legal aid universally accessible to all geographic locations…,” the report noted.
The report disclosed that while the Legal Aid Clinic receives an annual subvention from the Government which covers most of its expenditure, it also receives financing through donations including from the Rights of the Child Commission to assist with representation of children and from clients who are assessed as being able to contribute toward the cost of their legal representation.
According to the report, the services of the Legal Aid Clinic are available free of charge to all children and adults who are assessed as being eligible for legal aid in that they cannot afford to pay more than 75 per cent of the amount they would have to pay to a member of the Bar.
“As noted in Guyana’s Voluntary National Report, “the legal aid programme in particular, provides assistance to per sons accused of minor, non-violent offences currently in pre-trial detention.”
The legal aid programme comprises a team of lawyers and paralegals who seek the dismissal of charges, arranging diversion where appropriate or arguing for bail, and generally avoiding procedural delays, the UNDP report added.

Stats
For the period January to June 2020, the GLAC extended its services to 765 persons, according to statistics published on its website.
One hundred and twenty-eight persons, including 74 males, were seen by the Region Two office. A total of 531 persons, of which 353 were female, were seen at the Georgetown office. Over at the Region Five office, 23 persons received assistance, of which 15 were females, while 83 individuals received assistance from the Region Six office; 48 of them were females.
For this year, the Clinic predominantly dealt with civil matters including divorce, domestic violence, Deed Polls and Affidavit, division of property, custody and access, trespass, employment, landlord and tenant, property disputes, prescriptive titles, injunction, , bigamy, and personal injury/death claims.
Criminal matters which persons sought assistance with included: murder, manslaughter, robbery, theft, narcotics trafficking, assault, threatening language, rape, carnal knowledge, disorderly behaviour and illegal firearm possession. In cases where persons did not qualify for legal aid, they were referred to the Bar.
Ever since its opening in March 1994, almost 27 years ago, the Legal Aid Clinic has extended its services to 45, 522 individuals.