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Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago

According to the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, the supreme law of the nation, the attorney general of Trinidad and Tobago is the primary legal advisor to the government of Trinidad and Tobago. The current attorney general is John Jeremie appointed on 1 May 2025. Devesh Maharaj is a Minister in the Office of the Attorney General, he is also the Minister of Justice. Saddam Hosein is the Minister of land and Legal Affairs.

Roles and function

The attorney general is a member of the Government and has two separate constitutional roles, a governmental role, in which he acts as a member of Government in the performance of his duties, and a role as the guardian of the public interest, when he acts independently in a quasi-judicial capacity.

The provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago require the attorney general to be responsible for the administration of legal affairs within the country. Legal proceedings for and against the State must be taken in the name of the attorney general (in the case of civil proceedings) and in the name of the State (in the case of criminal proceedings).

The attorney general has responsibility for the following departments

  • Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/PF)
  • Anti-Terrorism Unit
  • (AML/CFT/PF) Compliance Unit
  • Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau
  • Appointment to Quasi Judicial Bodies
  • Department of Civil Law
  • Office of the Solicitor General
  • Administrator General
  • Civil Litigation
  • Conveyancing
  • Custodian of Enemy Property
  • Government Contracts
  • Legal Advice to Government
  • Provisional Liquidator
  • Provisional Receiver
  • Public Trustee/Official Receiver
  • Chief State Attorney
  • Children's Attorney
  • Criminal Justice Unit
  • International Office of Child Rights
  • International Law and Human Rights Unit
  • Judiciary
  • Law Reform
  • Legislative Agenda
  • National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Committee
  • National Biosafety
  • Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel
  • Legislative Drafting
  • Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

Statutory Boards and Other Bodies:

  • Central Authority
  • Civil Child Abduction Authority
  • Industrial Court Law Reform Commission
  • Strategic Services Agency
  • Intelligence
  • Strategy

List of attorneys-general

Trinidad only

  • Gloster c.1805
  • H. Fuller c.1828
  • Wylie c.1832 (acting)
  • Edward Jackson, c.1840 (died 1846)
  • Charles William Warner, 1844 to 1870
  • George Garcia, 1870 to 1873
  • Henry Ludlow, 1874 to 1886
  • Stephen Herbert Gatty, 1886 to 1889

Trinidad united with Tobago, 1889

Trinidad and Tobago became independent, 1962

Ministry of Land and Legal Affairs

The Minister of Land and Legal Affairs has responsibility for the following departments:

  • Law Revision
  • Commissioner of Affidavits
  • Justice of the Peace
  • Lands and Surveys
  • Land Management
  • Liquor License
  • Marriage License
  • Regularisation of Tenure/Housing for Squatters
  • Surveys and Mapping
  • Valuation
  • Registrar General
  • Companies Registry
  • Civil Registry
  • Land Registry
  • Rent Restriction
  • Intellectual Property
  • Industrial Property
  • Copyright and Related Rights
  • Trademarks

Statutory Boards and Other Bodies:

  • Law Revision Commission
  • Land Settlement Agency
  • Land Survey Board of Trinidad and Tobago
  • Rent Assessment Board

Wholly Owned Enterprises:

  • Estate Management and Business Development Company Limited

Ministry of Justice

The Minister of Justice has responsibility for the following departments:

  • Alternate Dispute Resolution
  • Construction and Refurbishment of the Court Facilities for the Judiciary
  • Criminal Justice System –
  • Quicker Justice Initiative Programme
  • Reform and Transformation
  • Electronic Monitoring
  • Forensic Services
  • DNA Services
  • Probation Services Offender Management –
  • Youth Re-Offender Programme
  • Victims of Crime
  • Charter and Counselling
  • Compensation
  • Legal Service Complaints

Committees:

  • Advisory Committee on the Power of Pardon (Mercy Committee)

Statutory Boards and Other Bodies:

  • Environmental Commission
  • Equal Opportunity Commission
  • Equal Opportunity Tribunal
  • Legal Aid and Advisory Authority
  • Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

See also

References