Region Two residents and surrounding communities are accessing the services provided at the Essequibo Legal Aid Clinic.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, the Clinic opened on June 14 through collaboration between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic. To date about 240 persons have received assistance, managing attorney-at-law at the clinic Sunil Scarce said. He said at first persons did not contact the clinic but after an extensive public awareness campaign that changed. “I am now going to court more often than before and this is good for us here at the clinic, because it means that we are assisting more persons to resolve their cases,” Scarce said.
According to GINA, the clinic facilitates representation for both civil and criminal cases. Scarce said a means assessment is conducted to determine whether the individual qualifies before he/she is given assistance. The clinic is housed in the Regional Democratic Council’s compound and forms part of government’s decentralized social services network. Persons who need legal services within the region and cannot afford an attorney are encouraged to utilize the clinic’s services. “We are here to help people so I am urging them to come in and take advantage of the clinic,” Scarce added.
GINA said government has made legal aid services available in Regions Two, Three, four, Five, Six, Seven and Ten. The Georgetown Clinic opened in 1994 and to date has assisted more than 12,000 persons. Last year government subvention to the Legal Aid Service was extended to $32 million, which allowed the service to expand outside Region Four.