Coroners’ Amendment Bill
Almost a year has elapsed since Government passed the Coroners’ Amendment Bill, and President David Granger is yet to reopen an investigation into the huge backlog of unresolved “unnatural deaths”.
Anil Nandlall
This was pointed out by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who criticised Government’s haste to pass the Bill in the National Assembly.
“We made proposals and they were objected, because we were told that they need it so badly. Nine months or more have passed and not a single coroner has been appointed under the Coroners’ Bill,” Nandlall stated.
The National Assembly, on January 14, 2016, passed the Coroners’ Amendment Bill 2015 after a heated and lengthy debate between the Government and Opposition.
According to the amended Bill, at present, the Magistrate of the magisterial district in which an unnatural death occurs is the coroner. If that Magistrate cannot conveniently or speedily be found or is unable to act, the nearest Justice of the Peace who is able to act shall be the coroner. A coroner is defined as a public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes.
The amendments effected by the Bill to the Act do not affect the law as it stands, except that they widen the meaning of a coroner. According to the explanatory memorandum, the amendment provides for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to appoint fit and proper persons to be coroners for the country.
A coroner shall also have the powers, privileges, rights and jurisdiction of a Magistrate and Justice of the Peace as are necessary for the performance of his duties.
In his presentation, prior to the Bill being deliberated on, Attorney General Basil Williams stated the Government was moving to have this Bill passed, since there were a number of families who needed closure on the death of their loved ones.
The Coroners’ Amendment Bill was revised to allow for at least four coroners in Demerara, three in Berbice and two in Essequibo. These persons will be fulltime coroners. Every person appointed as a coroner under the act shall take and subscribe to the oath of office taken by a Magistrate with whatever modifications are necessary.
To date, Government is yet to appoint a coroner.
The President had announced in the early days of his Administration that he would be moving to investigate the extrajudicial killings that plagued the country and haunted the minds of thousands of Guyanese.
The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition had indicated on numerous occasions, its intent to launch these probes into the killings that occurred between 2000 and 2008. However, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), while supportive of the move to launch investigations into these unsolved cases, objected to the limitation imposed on the time period for these impending probes.
