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Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago

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According to the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, the supreme law of the nation, the attorney general and minister of legal affairs of Trinidad and Tobago is the primary legal advisor to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.[3] The current Attorney General is John Jeremie appointed on 1 May 2025.[4]

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[5]

  • Wholly Owned Enterprises
  • Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/PF)
    • Anti-Terrorism Unit
  • Appointment to Quasi Judicial Bodies
  • Children’s Attorney
  • Criminal Justice System
  • Construction of court facilities for the Judiciary
  • Law Reform
  • International Office of Child Rights
  • Intellectual Property
    • Copyright and Related Rights
    • Trademarks
    • Industrial Property
  • Legal Service Complaints
  • Legislative Agenda
  • National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Committee
  • Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
  • Office of the Solicitor General
    • Civil Litigation
    • Legal Advice to the Government
    • Commissioners of Affidavits
    • Liquor Licenses
    • Marriage Licenses
  • Office of Chief State Solicitor
    • Administrator General
    • Provisional Liquidator
    • Provisional Receiver
    • Public Trustee/Official Receiver
  • Office of Chief Parliamentary Counsel
    • Legislative Drafting
  • Registrar General
    • Civil Registry
    • Companies Registry
  • Statutory Boards and other Bodies
    • Corruption Investigation Bureau
    • Anti-Corruption Squad
    • Council of Legal Education
    • Environmental Commission
    • Equal Opportunity Commission
    • Equal Opportunity Tribunal
    • Hugh Wooding Law School
    • Industrial Court
    • International Law and Human Rights Unit
    • Law Reform Commission
    • Legal Aid and Advisory Authority
    • Tax Appeal Board

List of attorneys-general

Trinidad only

Trinidad united with Tobago, 1889

Trinidad and Tobago became independent, 1962

See also

References

  1. ^ https://newsday.co.tt/2025/05/01/kamla-persad-bissessar-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-john-jeremie-as-ag/
  2. ^ "Numbered-Draft-Estimates-Statutory-Boards-2019.pdf" (PDF). Ministry of Finance. Ministry of Finance. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Roles and Functions". Ministry of the Attorney General. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  4. ^ https://newsday.co.tt/2025/05/01/kamla-persad-bissessar-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-john-jeremie-as-ag/
  5. ^ Gazette No. 46 Vol. 64 Thursday 20th March 2025, section 405, page 846 https://printery.gov.tt/e-gazette/2025/Gazette/Gazette_No._46_of_2025.pdf
  6. ^ Fraser, Lionel. History of Trinidad from 1781-1839 and 1891-1896. p. 21.
  7. ^ Fraser, Lionel. History of Trinidad from 1781-1839 and 1891-1896. p. 220.
  8. ^ The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and Colonies, 1840. p. 405.
  9. ^ Chapman, J. K. (1964). The Career of Arthur Hamilton Gordon: First Lord Stanmore 1829-1912. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442652699. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  10. ^ a b Brereton, Bridget. Race Relations in Colonial Trinidad 1870-1900. p. 54.
  11. ^ "Ludlow Family" (PDF). Ludlowfamilyresearch.co.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  12. ^ "No. 27603". The London Gazette. 6 October 1903. p. 6087.
  13. ^ Garvey, Marcus. The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers. p. 215.
  14. ^ "Seychelles Chief Justice and the First Coup d'état". Seychellesweekly.com. 1943-01-01. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  15. ^ "History of the Credit Union Movement | The Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad & Tobago". Ccultt.org. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  16. ^ Lentz, Harris. Heads of States and Governments Since 1945. p. 758.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Past Attorneys General". Ministry of the Attornry General. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  18. ^ Fraser, Narissa (2025-03-17). "Camille Robinson-Regis is Attorney General". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2025-03-17.