The Ministry of Legal Affairs opened a Paralegal Centre at the Bina Hill Institute in Region Nine on Thursday.
Thirty-five toshaos and senior members of Amerindian village councils and other leaders from 13 villages in the region were trained over three days to provide these services to several communities. Residents from Katoka, Toka, Massara, Kwaimatta, Yakarinta, Fairview, Aranaputa, Annai, Rupertee, Surama, Rock View and Kwatamang Landing are expected to benefit from the programme, a press release said.
The training which was done from November 13-15 focused on the Constitution, Amerindian Act, how the government functions, domestic violence and other topics. Each participant was provided with a package consisting of manuals for paralegals, and on the Constitution, Amerindian Act, Narcotics Act, Sexual Offences Act, Domestic Violence Act and paralegal posters and brochures. The sessions were conducted by the Justice Institute, and facilitated by attorneys-at-law Melinda Janki and Peter Hugh.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Legal Affairs Indira Anandjit, representatives of the Modernisation of the Justice Administration System (MJAS), the newly trained paralegals and senior members of the Annai community attended the opening ceremony. The Paralegal Centre will soon be equipped with computers and other office equipment, the release said.
According to the release, both the opening ceremony and the training were held at the Bina Hill Institute in Annai and were organised by the MJAS Project which is a partnership between the government and the Inter-American Development Bank to improve the administration of justice in Guyana.
