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AG Chambers displays misappreciation for its role in oil sector–Hughes
Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes
By Kiana Wilburg
The absence of a modernized legislative framework which responds to the challenges that come with an oil sector was pointed out, recently, by Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes.
It was this very premise that the lawyer used to highlight that the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers has to be restructured since it lacks the specialized expertise needed to fine tune the requisite laws for the sector.
But the Chambers did not taking kindly to this observation.
On Friday via a missive to the media, the Chambers said that if the Government wants oil and gas laws, then it is the administration, and not the Chambers, which has the responsibility to ensure that it has the requisite experts to formulate what is known as drafting instructions.
These would then be used by the Attorney General’s Chambers to help in the legislative process.
“The author of our disparagement (Nigel Hughes) should be careful of his remarks…He has committed an error by arrogating to himself knowledge of which he is denuded. Perhaps it would be apt to mention the Constitutional Reform Commission Bill drafted by a consultant (Hughes), guided by a Steering Committee and sent to this Chambers.”
The AG Chambers said that the Bill had to be “salvaged by the Chambers because of a lack of knowledge by the Consultant, and his failing to take into consideration certain key aspects of the laws of Guyana.”
Considering the aforementioned, Hughes told Kaieteur News that it is unfortunate that the AG Chambers has missed the big picture and has therefore, displayed a misappreciation for its role in the oil and gas sector.
The lawyer said, “This is typical of Guyana. We miss the big picture which is how we can get our legislation and regulation in place and we head to the bottom of the barrel to get into the assignment of blame and responsibility. But I am happy that they found time to talk about ‘salvage’.”
Hughes added, “If they had been diligent enough on December 21 (when the No Confidence Motion was passed) they would have been able to ‘salvage’ the President and the Prime Minister from the national embarrassment they subsequently suffered.”
Hughes said it is regrettable that the Chambers would sink to the level of ad hominem attacks in a case that deals with national development.
Furthermore, Hughes stressed that the AG Chambers should not be caged to the role of mere draftsmen as it sought to explain in its missive to the media on Friday. The lawyer said that perhaps, “it is the misappreciation of their role which has led the government to be in the difficulty that it is in now.”
Considering that time is against Guyana to put in place the robust legislative framework needed for the oil sector, Kaieteur News asked Hughes to say if efforts should be hastened to staff the Chambers with personnel who possess both the skill to draft laws and the expertise on the sector.
To this Hughes responded “The first thing the AG Chambers has to focus on is to stop losing its professional staff. And once they can maintain minimum levels, then we can then talk about how we can grow the specialized capacity.”
Overall, Hughes said he maintains the position that the Chambers lacks the expertise to deal with or fine tune petroleum related laws. He reiterated that the time has come for it to be restructured.
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