Ret’d judge B.S Roy to chair Law Reform Commission, other members appointed

President Irfaan Ali has approved the appointment of retired Justice of Appeal B.S Roy to Chair the newly constituted Law Reform Commission.

This is according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, who on Saturday announced that the President also approved the appointment of the other members of the commission.

They include Teni Housty, Clarissa Riehl, Brian O’ Toole, Emily Dodson, Roopnarine Satram and Deenawatie Panday.

“The nominees have been chosen after consideration of recommendations received from the various stakeholder organizations, consulted pursuant to the provisions of the Law Reform Commission (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2021, and in accordance with the said Act,” the AG noted in a press release.

The Law Reform Commission is an advisory body to the State and can recommend to the Government of Guyana amendments to existing laws, new legislation, and the repeal of existing legislation. The establishment of a Law Reform Commission is part of a fundamental component of the US$ 8 million-dollar Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Support for the Justice System Programme. The IDB shall fund the functioning of this Commission for a specified period and the Government of Guyana is expected to take over funding thereafter.

“Law Reform ensures that the country’s laws are updated at periodic intervals, and captures and embraces the aspirations, exigencies, social maladies and vicissitudes of the society as it evolves. A Law Reform Commission in Guyana is long overdue and exists in most Commonwealth countries. This institution is expected to ensure that the country’s laws are updated regularly and embrace new and emerging legislative trends across the world,” the AG noted.

According to the press release, when the PPP/C took office in August 2020, it pledged to move swiftly to establish the Commission after it reviewed the Act and this was done with the Amendment of the Act which was assented to by the President on the 16th February, 2021.

The Commission will be operating out of a Government of Guyana building located at Lot 91 Middle Street, Georgetown. A Secretariat for the Commission has already been established and staffed. Members of the Commission are expected to be sworn in shortly.