Attorney General updates Guyana-born Belize Chief Justice during courtesy call

Last Updated on Friday, 5 July 2024, 19:51 by Writer

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall on Friday updated Chief Justice of Belize, Guyana-born Louise Esther Blenman on a number of projects during her courtesy call ahead of a major regional law conference that opens in Guyana next week.

“The Hon. Attorney General welcomed the Hon. Chief Justice and updated her on a number of projects being undertaken by the Chambers of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs,” his Chambers said in a statement.

The Guyana government has been amending existing laws and enacting new ones in a range of areas including anti-money laundering and countering of financing terrorism, road traffic, civil aviation, trafficking in persons, international arbitration and constitutional reform. The Attorney General’s Chambers has also been spearheading international cooperation with the United States and international organisations.

Mr Nandlall also reportedly gifted to Chief Justice Blenman a set of the Guyana Law Reports 1977-2007, a Consolidated Index of Statutes and Subsidiary Legislation of Guyana and an Index of the Guyana Law Reports 1930-2007.

Chief Justice Blenman is here to deliver the feature address at the opening of the ‘First Legal Conference on Criminal Justice Reform – Advancing the Needham’s Point Declaration’ to be held on July 10 and 11 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

She is the first woman to ever be appointed to the post in Belize.

Justice Blenman is Guyanese by birth. Her legal career began in Guyana where she served in various capacities including, Acting Deputy Solicitor General in the Attorney General’s Chambers, acting Magistrate and a lecturer in law at the University of Guyana.

In September 2000, Justice Blenman was appointed as the Solicitor General of Saint Lucia – a post she held until she was elevated to the
bench of the High Court of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 2003. Justice Blenman was appointed a Justice of Appeal in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 2012 and served in that capacity for ten years. In September, 2022, Justice Blenman was appointed Chief Justice of Belize.

Justice Blenman is among several dignitaries slated to attend the law conference, including the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland KC, Commonwealth Secretary General, Judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice and other judges and legal dignitaries from the region.