Caribbean Legal Education Council holds AGM in Guyana
The Executive Committee of the Council of Legal Education of the Caribbean held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Pegasus Hotel today to address all matters of the Council involving their financial affairs and administrative issues.
Included among items listed on the agenda was the examination of the pressing demand to accommodate new students who are entering the legal field.
Members of the Executive Committee of the Council of Legal Education in the Caribbean gather at the Pegasus Hotel for their Annual General Meeting 2013
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs of Guyana in his welcome to the Committee noted that the Council was meeting on a packed agenda when the challenges facing it are diverse and many.
“In the Caribbean there is an unprecedented demand for legal services and that demand is manifested in the number of students who are desirous of pursuing legal education. As a result, that has created an extremely daunting task of providing adequate accommodation and facilities to accommodate all these students,” he observed.
Minister Nandlall posited that there is, now more than ever, a salient recognition that there is a connection between law and development. “That no nation progresses where the legal system is not functioning and that truth apparently, is dawning quickly in the Caribbean,” he said.
Mrs. Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, (centre in brown jacket) Chairperson of the Council of Legal Education giving her welcome presentation at that body’s Annual General Meeting.
He reiterated that the heavy demand for lawyers and legally trained personnel is one of the fundamental challenges with which the Council would have to grapple with.
Minister Nandlall also recognised the issue of continuing the collaboration between the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies and the Council of Legal Education. He expressed the hope that the relationships could be continued and modified to capture specific peculiarities and demands which would be made by different sides.
Acknowledging the packed agenda, he also expressed the hope for compromises and decisions to be arrived at on the many difficulties and tasks facing the Council, and that they would make substantial progress.
Chairperson of the Council Mrs. Jacqueline Samuels-Brown expressed appreciation for the Government of Guyana for the immediate and positive response towards the request for hosting the AGM. She expressed the hope that the meeting would help to build and strengthen relations among Caribbean territories, and to help build focus on special issues facing Guyana in relation to the Council.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall extending welcome remarks to the Executive Committee of the Council of Legal Education in the Caribbean at their Annual General Meeting held at the Pegasus Hotel.
Legal luminaries of the Caribbean who attended the meeting included the Attorney General of Dominica, Levi Peters; Minister of State for Legal Affairs of Barbados, Damien Gomes; Attorneys General alternate representing Grenada, Guyanese Darshan Ramdhani; Jennifer Edwards Q.C of Barbados; Samraj Haripaul S.C. and alternate for Trinidad; Nicole Foster-Pucci, Alternate for Jamaica; Principals of the law schools Miriam Samaroo of the Hugh Wooding Law School, Ms. Tonya Bastian Gallani of Eugene Dupuch Law School and Mrs. Carol Anya of Norman Manley Law School among others.
The Council of Legal Education has been in existence for over 30 years and trains legal practitioners in the Commonwealth Caribbean in fulfillment of its Mission Statement which is to: Facilitate the development of competent legal practitioners for the region who, appreciating their responsibility as members of an honourable profession and recognising the needs of their socio-economic environment, are inspired in the pursuit of excellence, the maintenance of high ethical standards, the promotion of social justice and the strengthening of Its members consist of the Attorneys General of member Governments; the Judiciary (the Chief Justices of member Governments); the practicing legal profession (chosen by the relevant professional associations); the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of the West Indies and the Principals of the Council’s three Law Schools.