Dear Editor,
Over the years there has been talk about setting up a law school in Guyana, and the government was said to be looking for a suitable place to house this school. After that nothing was said. A number of graduates thinking that the school would be set up delayed going to Trinidad. Today it’s impossible for them to get in.
I know that those selected to go to Hugh Wooding would not mind if they had to study at home as they would be more comfortable and it would cost less, especially when one considers housing.
At the moment about twenty students from other countries are studying here. I am sure if the law school is set up here then it would attract students from overseas.
I wonder what has prevented the setting up of the law school. Is it a change of mind or just inefficiency? Maybe Dr Roger Luncheon or the President can shed some light on the situation. As it is only the rich can afford to go and study abroad. It’s a shame that the self-proclaimed working class government is ignoring the plight of poor graduates. Their expectations were high when the announcement about the law school here was made, but now they are simply frustrated that their hard work and ambitions have fallen by the wayside.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
…and why is it they don’t teach physics at the schools in Guyana.
they dont teach physics in schools since all the intellectuals like us have decided to abandoned Guyana.Its referred to as the BRAIN DRAIN
……… because the decisions makers and the people who can afford it them children getting after lessons and introduction to science in homes that can perpare them to come to the world of technology and poor left to choose Social work, ——- not a bad thing but that need technology too because crime today goes hand in hand with technology. If you poor you ben, it you got money you stand up straight, — Guyanese should demamd more for there VAT dollars.
Guyana does not need more Lawyers. We need Engineering schools. Manufacturing is almost non-existent in Guyana and one of the primary reasons for the high unemployment in Guyana.
There is no exclusion. The government should have pursued policies that woul;d have trained more people in the sciences. However the reality is that those trained join the brian drain..
At the moment a reasonable number of Guyanese are being trained in Cuba in the field of engineering.
The manufacturing sector is hampered by the investment climate. Its mnot easy getting loans from the mank and the interest rates are ridiculous.
The law school would not be subsidised like UG. Students would have to pay their way. It would also attract foreign students and in a way there would be some level of academic tourism.
Our Lawyers would not only service Guyana but the wider carribbean.
We would have more competition and so we would have more lawyers to serve as magistrates. It would bring down the cost of legal fees. The prosecuters in the courts would be lawyers and so the police could very well win more cases and so bring in fines to the government trreasury
Having said that the point is what is the position of the leaders of the government on this.
Meidou has struck gold again. Right now, Guyana has about a handfull of genuine intellectuals. However, apart from ‘BRAIN DRAIN’ the main reason is the lack of a progressive research library facility.
A University is ranked by the quality of its research library and its research laboratory facilities and not by the brilliance of its professors or its students. And another thing, a serious LAW school is wired totally for the internet, where every student has an account with free access to the internet and other major university law libraries.
teh fees are supposed to be cost effective. It should pay for whatever is required. Whatever inputs are put in place should be recovered. It should be run like a business.
……………………..you said it………….it would be good if department heads from UG can come out and visit University and withness research in progess……inter libraries operation and the exchange of books for research work……………….the inter action of local libraries and Universities…………….. one can register for any class once qualify and study via the internet………………only see the instructor two Saturdays a month………….most universities are expanding in department libraries and are establishing meeting halls………………….this tone is now shifted to the work place………………you work at home and visit the work place once a week to inter act with your department head……………it all starts and ends with a good telecom system in place…………….
Guyana does not need for Attorneys. I think that apart of the studies is done at the University of Guyana.
The Ministry of Education needs to employ teachers to teach secondary school students some basic skills in programming, such as understanding and writing web scripts. Ordinary level students should be taught basic html scripting, while Advance students should be taught more advance scripts, such as PHP, PERL and so on. Even Java Script is becoming more and more popular. All the browsers now seems to be supporting Java Scripts.
Rgds,
Red Lion
(www.gtrl.tv)
……………….. the Government is a beg and barow country with no vision in site.
Think about this, a simple solar trafic lights project had to be given to a contractor from India . It could of been installed, and maintain by UG Technology students under a reserch program with the grant going to the Technology reserch at the University.
The best resources is your human capital, and if you neglet them you answer what happen.
The whole education system needs a make over. The Department of Education have neglet math and science. Some people when they leave Guyana and come to the US and your new home they get a fit when they do understan that they have to do maths and science. All we can do is do our little to help them who down below
Its simply business. Do not compare this to the public school system. I know there are alot of jokes about lawyers but they are important. that is why we need to have more competition.
The operation of the justice systen is very important to the democratic process.
Also why should the rich alone have their children become lawyers.
A number od our lawyers are working in the caribbean. We would continue to export this service among others. We train out teachers and they go, Our nurses go our lawyers would also go. Lets not be narrow minded.
A law school needs professors of law to teach …..it is a very very very very expensive program….who is going to police this program in GT…what we will end up with is a lot of not so smart lawyers…if my memory serves me right this was an election ploy…….
If we all can remember when Guyana abolished appeals to the privy council there were those who doubted our ability to perform as the white men did but we were persistent in our quest for independence from any outside system and cautious about their influence since at that time we believed in national development and pursued it at reasonable costs. Having a law school in Guyana is as important as having secondary school teachers, both law and education are integral parts of our overall national functioning and development. Like the abolition of appeals the establishment of a law school is sure to boost the spirit of independence and progress. Therefore opinions which underestimate the importance of a law school which can aptly train Guyanese lawyers at a feasible cost resulting in the improvement of our legal system, are definitely short sighted if we’re to think, talk and work towards a better Guyana.
Since our independence and the abolition of the Privy Council our judicial system has deteriorated tremendously. Can you imagine what the PNM would have done to its opponents in Trinidad and Tobago, had Trinidad abandoned the Privy Council? Look what happened lately with the C N Sharma case. It was the same during the previous administration. There are lots of Attorneys in Guyana to act as Magistrates and Prosecuters. However, they would prefer to practice privately because the remuneration offered by the State is a mere fraction of when they earn when the practice privately. Infact, it is for this reason, our Lawmen are all over the Caribbean. Lawyers always seem to want thing their way. You do not have to be too smart to be an Attorney, however, to be a successful Attorney is something different. Tell me I am wrong!
Rgds,
Red Lion
As it is the justice system in Guyana is practically defunct, and you want to toss more inept lawyers into the mix.
I concurr with Redlion on the issue of amplyfying the profile of education offered at the very crucial transitional level of secondary school. We live in the computer / information age and its neccessary to willfully provoke a disturbance that will effect positive change in the rather defunct ‘run of the mill’ approach to education at this level in Guyana.
All too often we are presented with an embarrassing case of functional illeteracy of professionals graduating from our institutions of higher learning and one of the main reasons for this is the attitude towards education that is inculcated during the formative years of the process. We need new perspectives, professionals who are willing to to pool resourses together and construct a workable plan to resolve this problem.
Any restructured educational plan will be made more dynamic if it ensures that students study at least one foreign language, beginning at the secondary level. Basic notions on world history and a comprehensive base on our own (both pre and post colonial) are vital.
Best regards.
Mr.Simple.