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Nandlall claims millions wasted on staff, building for “white elephant” Law Reform Commission
Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall has continued to bemoan the non-functioning Law Reform Commission (LRC) of which he claims millions of dollars has been spent since 2016 to pay staff and rent a building.
Nandlall says that the two upper flats of this building are being rented at $850,000 monthly to house the Law Reform Commission
Labeling it a “white elephant”, Nandlall said yesterday that in January 2016, the National Assembly enacted the Law Reform Act piloted by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams.
According to Nandlall, although in every budget, millions of dollars has been allocated to fund the Commission, as of January 2020, it has not “done a single work”, or does not have a Commissioner. He disclosed that in the Committee of Supply during the National Budget Debate in 2018, Williams disclosed that the Commission is staffed with 10 persons; namely a Legal Officer, who earns a monthly salary of $700,000, three Typists who each earn $130,000, two Legal Clerks who are being paid $150,000, a driver who is paid $120,000 and a cleaner $75,000.
Attorney General Basil Williams
Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall
Nandlall said that assuming that these staff were hired from June 2016 to December 2019, the total salaries paid to them would have been $76,755,000. Apart from this, Nandlall claims that the Law Reform Commission is located at Lot 59 Robb Street, Bourda, Georgetown, in a building that is being rented at $850,000 monthly; making its total rent for the period $36,550,000.
“So, [Attorney General] Basil Williams [spent] $113,305,000 [in salaries and rent] on this single initiative, which has not produced a single piece of law reform in five (5) years. The wastage continues…,” Nandlall emphasized.
The LRC is a statutory body mandated by the Law Reform Act of 2016. According to the law, the LRC shall consist of three to seven members including a Chairperson, who is appointed by the President, following consultation with the Minister of Legal Affairs.
The appointment of the members is vital to the function of the Commission, which is mandated to review, simplify, modify and systematically develop the law.
As part of the tenancy agreement, the government has to pay its own electricity while the landlord pays the water. Additionally, the agreement stipulates a security deposit of $1.7M, which will be refunded upon termination of the tenancy contract. Government also agreed to pay the first two months of the tenancy before occupying the building.
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