Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 10, 2020 News
Most persons seeking assistance from the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (GLAC) are those wishing to terminate their marriages. This was evident from statistics released by the GLAC for the period January to September 2019, which shows that divorce was dealt with more than any other matter. Of the 2,287 matters heard across the GLAC’s offices in Regions Two, Four, Five and Six; 1,063 accounted for divorce.
In Region Two, the GLAC interviewed 40 persons for divorce matters, of which 37 of them were represented in court; in Region Three 885 persons were interviewed and 538 of them were given representation; in Region Five, 31 persons were interviewed of which only 14 were represented, and in Region Six, 107 of them were interviewed of which 31 were represented.
For the previous year, January to December 2018, 2958 persons received legal aid spanning across the four offices. Of this, 1,156 of them were interviewed for divorce matters, of which 794 received representation.
A breakdown of the figures shows that during 2018, 47 persons were interviewed by the Region Two Office; 948 by the Region Four office; 30 by the Region Five office; and 131 by the Region Six office.
Of the 47 persons interviewed in Region Two, 46 were represented in court; 651 of the 948 persons interviewed in Region Four were represented; 12 of the 30 individuals interviewed by Region Five were represented; while 85 of the 131 persons interviewed by the Region Six Office were represented.
Apart from divorce, persons who visited the organisation’s offices sought assistance with other civil matters. They include: property disputes, maintenance, domestic violence, division of property, estates, injunction, adoption, bigamy, landlord and tenant, nuisance, trespass, employment, custody and access, damage to property, Deed Pools and Affidavits, prescriptive title, personal injury/death claim and others.
The criminal matters for which persons sought assistance included: murder, manslaughter, rape, carnal knowledge, robbery and theft, narcotics, assault, disorderly behaviour, firearm and threatening language.
Government is currently looking to expand legal aid services to the hinterland regions.
This was revealed by Attorney General Basil Williams, S.C, during an interview on the programme “Insight” aired on the Voice of Guyana. Williams had said that with the judiciary extending its reach to the Hinterland regions, the widening of legal aid services will ensure greater delivery of justice.
The Attorney General had noted that the provision of legal aid is linked to restorative justice.
The Guyana Legal Aid Clinic (formerly Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic) which opened its doors in March 1994 is a non-governmental, non-profit making, non-partisan organization that provides legal aid to persons who cannot afford to employ the services of a member of the private bar.
Its objective is also to increase public knowledge of basic legal rights and duties and of the legal process.
Since its opening, it has been primarily supported by the government through annual subvention, the provisions of attorneys-at-law, rent-free space, etc. It also receives donations from other bodies.
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
Apr 18, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named Wisden’s leading Twenty20 Cricketer for 2023, as she topped all and sundry, including her male counterparts. Alan Gardner looks...Kaieteur News – Compliments of the Ministry of Education, our secondary school children are being treated to a stage... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]