Dear Editor,
We were alarmed to read the article that was posted to the Stabroek News online edition of March 11, entitled ‘UG students await word on Hugh Wooding placements.’ The article refers to a statement made by Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall about a “decision made by the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Council of Legal Education (CLE) last Wednesday.”
There is no UWI Council for Legal Education. The Council for Legal Education is a regional entity established by treaty that operates the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago, the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas. Legal education in the English-speaking Caribbean is done at two levels:
Firstly, a university course of academic training in a faculty of law designed to give not only a background of general legal principles and techniques but an appreciation of relevant social science subjects including Caribbean history and contemporary Caribbean affairs;
Secondly, a period of further institutional training directed towards the study of legal subjects, having a practical content and emphasis, and the acquisition of the skills and techniques required for the practice of law.
The first level is delivered by several universities in the region; namely, the University of the West Indies at its campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the University of Guyana, the University of Belize and recently, the University of Technology in Jamaica. The second level is delivered by the law schools which are managed by the Council of Legal Education. The Attorneys-General of all participating states, which include Guyana, are members of the Council.
We respectfully request that your newspaper give equal prominence to the publication of a full retraction of the statement attributing to the University of the West Indies the prevention of University of Guyana law students from attending the Hugh Wooding School. We are in no way placing any obstacles to admission of students from the University of Guyana to any law school in the region.
Yours faithfully,
E Nigel Harris
Vice-Chancellor
