By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The 2015 Budget Debates continued in the National Assembly with Attorney General Basil Williams going head to head with his predecessor, Anil Nandlall over the provision of legal services and government bills.
The Legal Affairs Minister in his presentation quoted Deuteronomy 31; verse 7-9 urging Members of Parliament to remain steadfast in their path. Williams stated that the former administration has left Guyana with several unpaid judgments, unfinished law review process and the acceptance of University of Guyana Law students into the Hugh Wooding Law School in limbo.
“Nandlall’s law revision of the Laws of Guyana which was both costly and mediocre…was replete with errors, some gaps – subsidiary legislation as well as regulations were left undone and the entire Act and many provisions have been left out,” said the Attorney General.
Williams however noted that the new government has already established a team of legal officials to remedy the situation. This team, he said, is headed by Justice Abdullah Zuru.
The Attorney General also spoke of plans to reform Guyana’s legislature with the aim of removing the backlog of cases in the Courts. He said the government will revisit and review paper committals which were intended to speed up Preliminary Inquiries in the Magistrates Courts.
“Justice in Guyana must be blind and colourless…criminals must not walk free because of incapacity in the administration of justice,” said Williams. A exchange of heckling between Nandlall and Williams was ever present during the debate of the two legal professionals.
Nandlall claimed that the budget was an “expensively and exquisitely rapped receptacle.”
The PPP Front Bencher stated that the Alliance For Change (AFC) has effectively undermined the role of the Legal Affairs Minister with the appointment of Nigel Hughes as the Head of the Constitutional Reform Steering Committee.
When will the granger administration pass a law that the people in linden pay the rates for light /electric as the rest of the country. why they should have preferred treatment and the rest of the country have to pay the high cost including the pensioner and old people.
Gangstnand.First thank you for calling the budget an exquistley wrapped receptacle. What you meant to add, but was unable to,Is that the intake of this exquisite budget will will all go into the Consolidated Fund and the Government will use the procceeds of that fund for the advancement and comfort of the Guyanese people.No diversions, to greatly line the pockets of the Cabal and their brain dead followers, there by depriving the vast majority of honest Guyanese of decent living standard and keeping them beggars in their own country.
As for Mr Hughes new post, I do hope he creates a ruckus if,but problably when, you try and stop the constitutional changes his commitee recomends.
Finally, Gangstanand, remember the age old adage—
People in glass houses should not throw stones!!
This was a real good and refreshing debate.. just that it was the same opposition turned defacto govt rediculed and reduce several legislative bills regarding the reform process.. so I don’t know what Williams saying about ppp left all that on them.. isn’t it conflict of interest that Nigel huges just want deh.. he’s known to make statements and cause havoc and mayhem in the society.. how can society still sleep with them eyes open.. anoda oppressor in the making.. “let’s see how the cookie crumbles”.