Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
New radiation safety, foreign reciprocal judgment bills set to be made law
Kaieteur News – In a bid to regulate and promote the safe and peaceful use of ionising radiation, the Radiation Safety and Security Amendment Bill 2022 has passed in the National Assembly with unanimous support.
Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony
The bill was first read in April 2022 and referred to a Special Select Committee for further review.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, presented the bill for its second reading, noting that it provides the legal framework to promote safe, secure and peaceful use of ionising radiation, and to protect persons and the environment against the harmful effects of radioactive waste.
The bill recognises the benefits of ionising radiation in various fields, such as health, energy, agriculture, and industry, but also acknowledges the importance of regulating this usage to protect individuals, society, and the environment.
According to the legislation, the board must consist of representatives from various public and private sector agencies, such as the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Labour. This diverse makeup highlights the array of issues the legislation attempts to address, and the widespread impact its implementation will have on society.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC
With an ongoing explosion of the country’s diagnostic capabilities, the health minister stressed that it is also imperative that the country formulates a framework for regulation of ionising radiation.
The Health Minister, “To ensure that the objectives of this bill are achieved, an independent regulatory authority, called the Radiation Safety and Security Board, will be established. The board collaborated with relevant government agencies to ensure that activities and practices involving the uses of ionising radiation and nuclear energy are used in Guyana for only peaceful purposes.”
“This is the first time in our country that we have now put together legislation to govern the use of ionising radiation. So, this is a landmark piece of legislation that will help to keep the people of Guyana safe, and that we will use ionising radiation for the benefit of people,” Dr. Anthony said.
The bill was drafted by the Attorney General’s Chambers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Judgment (Reciprocal Enforcement) Bill, which will help Guyana recover repayments against international companies if no local assets are available, was also passed.
The Bill was first introduced to the National Assembly by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C.
The Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Amendment Bill 2023, will allow for judgments and court orders passed in Guyana to be enforceable in foreign countries, and vice versa.
The Attorney General (AG) stressed the need for an accommodating legislative framework to support international relations, especially against the backdrop of Guyana’s growing economy, boosted by the burgeoning oil and gas sector.
The AG also highlighted the principle of sovereignty, which dictates that a judgement delivered in one country cannot, in the absence of international agreement, have a direct operation in another. This principle, he said, creates barriers to international trade, and this is where the Foreign Judgements Bill comes in, to promote improved international relations.
“This bill is part of that menu of modern laws that are necessary for economic development and foreign investment,” he said.
The legislation will also allow for cheaper and more efficient litigation since it removes the need for relitigating in foreign countries.
“Litigation in any part of the world is expensive, protracted and time-consuming. In the end, every litigant expects the fruit of the litigation, not only to be efficacious but also effectively enforceable as far and as wide as possible. This bill guarantees exactly that,” AG Nandlall explained.
Moreover, he clarified that the principle of reciprocity dictates that the judgments applied in one country will be applied in foreign countries in the same manner.
“Once the basis of it is reciprocity, it means that it has to apply in the same way, in accordance with the same principle, in every country across the globe.”
- Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC, Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, The bill recognises the benefits of ionising
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