Ever since its opening in March 1994, almost 26 years ago, the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic has extended its services to 44, 757 persons of which more than half, 30,107 are females. This is according to statistics released by the non-governmental organization which has offices in Georgetown, Anna Regina, Fort Wellington and New Amsterdam.
Of the 44, 757 persons, 16, 998 of them sought help with matters pertaining to divorce; while 4,421 of them received help with issues relating to domestic violence. Apart from this, 3,077 of them were given assistance with miscellaneous matters, 2,333 for division of property and 2, 907 for custody and access.
Individuals were also given assistance with other civil matters such as adoption, bigamy, contract, damage to property, deed polls and affidavits and letters, employment, injunction, estate, landlord and tenants, maintenance, personal injury, power of attorney, prescriptive title, property dispute and trespass.
As it relates to criminal matters, 1,102 persons were interviewed for matters relating to assault, 586 of them for robbery and theft, 356 for murder/manslaughter, 282 for threatening language, 186 for rape/carnal knowledge, 114 each for disorderly behaviour and eight for firearms.
Guyana Legal Aid Clinic provides free or subsidized legal advice and representation to people who cannot afford to pay for an attorney. The organization also refers people who need non-legal help to organizations that can assist them. The legal aid clinic is subsidized by the government and also receives funding from USAID, the British Government, the Canada Fund, Computer Aid International, individuals and the business community.
Some of its objectives include, provision of public education about the basic legal rights and duties and the legal process and collaborating and networking with the government and NGOs providing similar or complementary services. It has a complement of eight attorneys-at-law and is governed by a board of directors.
