An innovative new law school coming
Published:Tuesday | January 31, 2017 | 10:50 AMKeisha Hill
A partnership among the government of Guyana, the Law College of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) has cleared the way for the establishment of the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas (JHLSA), to be based in Georgetown, Guyana.
The LCA/UCC will offer the programme in Jamaica.
At the launch of the law school held recently at the Spanish Court Hotel, St Andrew, President of the LCA Dr Velma Brown-Hamilton said the institution would become one of the largest and most comprehensive law schools in the region.
"This has been a dream of mine for some time, and there is no greater feeling than being able to see this dream come to fruition. It is an especially important milestone because of its potential to create a welcome difference in education on the law and contribute significantly to other sectors as well," Brown-Hamilton said.
The JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas which is named after the late Guyanese jurist, JOF Haynes will provide an opportunity for the holders of a bachelor of laws (LLB) degree to acquire Legal Education Certificate (LEC) and practice law in Jamaica and Guyana.
PRACTICAL COURSES
The law school, when established, will complement the LEC certificate programme at the Norman Manley Law School. Brown-Hamilton said the courses offered will be innovative, practical, leaning towards entrepreneurship as well as the needs of the respective territories.
Dr Winston Adams, executive chairman of the UCC Group of Companies said the partnership would serve as a tool for transformation.
"This is a landmark undertaking that will chart a new course for Caribbean cooperation between a sovereign state and an indigenous higher educational institution to bring added benefits to Jamaica and other English-speaking Caribbean territories," he said.
The founding of the JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas will bring the number of law schools in the Caribbean region to four. The others are the Hugh Wooding Law School in Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago, the Cayman Islands Law School in George Town, Cayman and the Norman Manley Law School in Kingston, Jamaica.