The new president of the Guyana Association of Women’s Lawyers (GAWL) is Sandra Kurtzious, who was unanimously elected when the body held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 29 at the Hotel Tower.
Also elected to hold office for the new fiscal year 2009-2010 are vice president Emily Dodson, secretary Sadie Amin, treasurer Nirmala Sukhai, assistant secretary Kim Kyte-John, and committee members Deborah Backer, Sandra Bart, Jamela Ali and Sharon Small, a press release stated.
Kurtzious was admitted to the bar in 1993 and her particular focus is family law. She headed the Legal Aid Clinic from 1999 to 2003 and is currently in private practice.
According to the release, the new president hopes to continue the ongoing work of the GAWL in order to effect significant change.
In thanking members for placing their confidence in her, she undertook to seek advice from past esteemed presidents of the GAWL and to continue collaborative work with governmental and non-governmental entities.
Meanwhile, outgoing GAWL president Gem Sanford-Johnson reported at the AGM on the activities for the fiscal year 2008-2009 which included consultation, outreaches and collaboration with various governmental and on-governmental organizations.
She said that one of the activities was prison outreaches where various prisons were visited and meetings held with inmates and staff, while noting that the Timehri Prison had made major improvements during her tenure.
In addition, meetings were held regularly with the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security with a view to harmonization of various pieces of legislation in which the association’s input was invaluable.
However, Sanford-Johnson lamented the issue of retention and recruitment of members, who for various reasons, personal or otherwise, did not stay with the GAWL, the release added.
