Justice Keith Massiah’s ‘legal legacy will live on’

– AG Nandlall

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC has said the legal legacy of former Chancellor of the Judiciary, the late Justice Keith Massiah will live on wherever English law is practised.

The Attorney General made this statement today, during a special sitting of the Full Court in memory of Justice Massiah, who died on April 26, 2020 at the age of 93.

AG Nandlall extended condolences to Justice Massiah’s wife and family.

“On behalf of the Law Officers of the State and on behalf of the Government of Guyana, I humbly offer my condolences to his wife, child, the legal fraternity of Guyana and indeed the legal fraternity of the Commonwealth where his legacy will live on, wherever English law continues to be practised,” he said.

The Attorney General said during his decades long legal career, Justice Massiah demonstrated his vast knowledge of the legal field and is an example to be emulated. 

“Whichever is the area of law upon which Justice Massiah had the occasion to expatiate, his judgements remain a comprehensive treatment of the relevant legal issues, most times expanding way beyond, giving the reader an intellectual insight into the evolutionary and historical metamorphosis of the legal issues to their current state,” AG Nandlall said.

Justice Massiah served as a Crown Counsel and later as Chancellor from 1984 to 1988. He also served as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs from 1988 to 1992.

After retiring from public office, Justice Massiah became a Professor of Law in the Department of Law at the University of Guyana, and served as its Head of Department for some time.