Courtesy Call by EU Delegation to Guyana
On the 17th October, 2018 Ambassador Jernej Videtič, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, and Mr. Philippe Coessens, Minister Counsellor and Head of Political, Press & Information, paid a courtesy call with the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mr. Basil Williams, SC, MP.
The visit concerned the “Support to the Effectiveness of Criminal Justice Systems in the Caribbean” project. The project’s aim is to modernise and strengthen CARIFORUM participating countries’ court systems, processes, and services; and to train and equip judicial officers and court staff with the skills and competencies necessary to deliver justice in a fair, transparent, efficient and timely manner. The project which will be finalized by the European Development Fund and target the CARIFORUM Region, will commence in early 2019.
Some of the main activities of the project will be technical assistance, procurement of equipment, training, national and regional coordination, witness protection, victim support, rehabilitation services aimed at offenders and public outreach. The Attorney General gave his full support for the project and the activities to be undertaken. He was further pleased that activities such as witness protection program, procuring of equipment for the court including audio and video digital recording and digital voice transcription technology, video-conferencing equipment, internet court portals and rehabilitation initiatives/ workshops in prisons were part of the activities of the project. The Attorney General also highlighted the need for training of prosecutors, law enforcement and the Judiciary in the areas of Cybercrime and financial crimes.
Additionally, discussed at the meeting was the Abolition of the Death Penalty and an upcoming Seminar on the subject facilitated by the EU and the UK.
Also in attendance at the meeting was the Chief Parliamentary Counsel Mr. Charles Fung-a-Fatt, and Deputy Chief Parliamentary Counsel Ms. Joann Bond.