The Canadian Government-funded project Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice) in conjunction with the Dominica Bar Association, hosted a Public Legal Education Day in Dominica on November 7th as part of its public legal education programme. IMPACT Justice, which is a regional justice sector reform project, is being implemented from within the Caribbean Law Institute Centre, UWI, Cave Hill Campus.
Two sessions were held concurrently: a Youth Programme for senior secondary school children and an Adult Programme for attorneys-at-law and other adults.
Under the Youth Programme, Sir Brian Alleyne, S.C., K.C.N., retired Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme court spoke on “Know the Law! Know Your Rights” and Mr. Tom Durbin, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UWI, Cave Hill Campus presented “Internet Bullying and Defamation”.
The Adult Programme comprised presentations from Mr. Tom Durbin on “Cybercrime: the Global Phenomenon and its Impact on the Caribbean”; Ms. Fiona Hinds, Partner of the Barbadian Law Firm Carrington and Sealy on “Copyright Law” and the Hon. Michael Hylton, O.J., Q.C. , Chairman of the General Legal Council of Jamaica on “Continuing Legal Professional Development: The Jamaica Model”.
Prof. Velma Newton, IMPACT Justice Regional Project Director, reported that all sessions were well received by participants especially by the 37 school children who welcomed information on cyber-bullying.
This is the second IMPACT Justice event held in Dominica. The first was a Practical Mediation Skills Training Programme in August. That programme was interrupted by Tropical Storm Erika, but will continue later this month.
