Nandlall questions AG’s “sudden silence” on law school

Several weeks have passed since Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams has said anything about plans to set up a law school in Guyana. In fact, his predecessor, Anil Nandlall, is questioning the Minister’s sudden silence on the matter and has described this action as “unacceptable”.
The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) said in a scathing statement on Sunday that the AG’s information about the process still did not seem to add up, and hinted that he may be untruthful about it. The MP again also rubbished claims made by Williams that Guyana received permission.

Nandlall noted that the Council of Legal Education (CLE) met over a week ago in Barbados, and the AG attended. Having attended the meeting of the Council where the matter was scheduled to be addressed, the AG is obliged to inform the nation on the outcome, Nandlall insisted.
The former AG recalled that Williams resolutely maintained in the media that Guyana was granted permission to establish a local law school. This contention of the AG was, however, contradicted by the Chairman of the Council, Reginald Armour, who revealed that there was no record to prove that the CLE ever granted Guyana any such permission to set up a local law school.
“Both the Chairman of the CLE and the AG told us that the matter was placed on the agenda for the Council meeting, which took place last week. A week after, we have not heard a word from the AG, who was hitherto very vociferous and emphatic on his position that the Council granted Guyana permission. He doggedly held firm to this position, notwithstanding his inability to produce any evidence of this alleged permission,” Nandlall recalled.
Nandlall also pointed out that former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, was dragged into the issue, as Williams had stated that the former Chancellor had knowledge of this alleged permission. However, Justice Singh later denied having any such knowledge.
Only recently, Nandlall told Guyana Times International that the said issue was a straightforward one that has been made ambiguous, complex and confusing by the alleged lies being peddled by his successor, who has, in fact, given several different statements regarding the same issue.
One major concern for Nandlall is the move taken by Williams to proceed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with what he described as two unrecognised institutions.
The CLE did indicate that Guyana was not granted permission although the AG declared several times that Guyana did obtain permission in 2017.
Williams has attacked CLE Chairman Armour, claiming that he (Armour) responded to a request from Nandlall to have the matter of Guyana establishing a law school put on the CLE agenda.
While the AG has named Guyana’s committee for the setting-up of the law school, he said he was not yet ready to inform the CLE.
When contacted on Monday for a comment on the issue, Williams told this newspaper that he planned to hold a press conference to discuss that issue, among other things. He could not provide a date for the press conference.
Government announced in January 2017, it would start a project to establish the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas. This school is being established through a public-private partnership between the Government of Guyana, the Law School of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC), and will add to the existing options available to holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).