Guyana moving closer to becoming regional education hub with long-awaited law school
After nearly three decades of planning, Guyana is now on the verge of establishing its own law school- part of a broader national goal to position the country as an education destination for the Caribbean.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, made the announcement during his Issues in the News programme, confirming that the Council of Legal Education (CLE) has approved the construction of a law school in Guyana. The institution will join the ranks of the CLE’s regional counterparts in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas.
The initiative was first proposed in 1995 by former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan and then-Attorney General Bernard De Santos. “This dream of establishing a law school in Guyana has been in the pipeline since 1995,” Nandlall explained, adding that renewed efforts began after the PPP/C administration took office in 2020.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali reportedly tasked the Attorney General with leading negotiations to finalize the decades-old decision. “One of the Government’s goals is to make Guyana an education destination of the Caribbean,” Nandlall said. “We became more focused and dedicated in pursuing this objective when I received the mandate from President Ali to do so.”
Eight acres of land have already been identified for the project, with clearing works almost complete. Architectural drawings have been prepared and approved by the CLE, which will operate the institution under its authority and supervision.
The law school, once completed, will cater to students from across the region -similar to the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica and the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. “It will be built by Guyana but run by the Council. Students from all over the Caribbean will come here,” Nandlall stated.
The Attorney General emphasized that this development aligns with the government’s wider educational agenda, which includes plans for a medical training institution in New Amsterdam and a regional teachers’ training institute.
According to Nandlall, the law school will not only serve Guyanese students but will also attract regional and international learners, boosting local investment and strengthening Guyana’s reputation as a center for higher education.
“This will enhance our resume as an education destination,” he said. “We are now extraordinarily close to bringing this dream to reality.”
