Minors before the courts will be able to benefit from legal aid provided by the government in 2018.
Allocations have been made in the 2018 National Budget for the piloting of a legal aid programme to provide defence to minor, non-violent offenders, who are in pre-trial detention.
By the end of 2018, the programme will commence work on the over 500 cases assessing the sustainability of the pilot programme. It will also provide capacity building to non-governmental organisations that share a similar objective.
“Our work on the new legal aid programme is part of a broader vision, which seeks to reduce the burden on our prisons, allowing for a more people-focused, efficient justice system,” Minister of Finance Winston Jordan pointed out during his budget speech on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Law Reform Commission is expected to be established in 2018 and will work on amending and modernising Guyana’s legislation to cater for non-custodial sanctions for various types of offence.
Reform and modernisation of the justice system remain a top priority for the government. These and existing measures are aimed at reducing backlog and delays while increasing efficiency an ensuring justice is available to every Guyanese.
