UG Law department trounces UWI campuses at recent mooting competition

The University of Guyana (UG) Law Department emerged victorious at the recent “Battle of the Titans Mooting Competition,” which was organised by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Law Society’s Legal Education Committee at Mona in Jamaica.

According to a press release, the virtual regional mooting event which was held on March 7th and 8th saw the participation of three students each from UG, and UWI’s three main campuses (Mona, St Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, and Cave Hill in Barbados).

UG was well represented by Donlee Castello, Marisha Kissoon, and Ariana Ramdharie, the release said. It added that Castello is experienced due to his victories in multiple mooting competitions, while Kissoon and Ramdharie are not.

The competition spanned two rounds — a preliminary and a final. UG’s team outperformed UWI St Augustine in the preliminary round on March 7th , before securing a win against UWI Mona in the final on March 8th, clinching the title, the release said.

It noted that preparation for the final round was particularly intense, as the moot was only released after the preliminary competition on March 7th.

Castello, the release said, was adjudged best advocate in both rounds, although the second was a joint award which he shared with a UWI Mona student.

The release said that Castello, who had participated in the 13th Annual CCJ International Moot in 2023, remarked on the intensity of the recent competition and its value in honing argument preparation and presentation skills. Meanwhile, Ramdharie, it said, highlighted the comprehensive learning experience, praising the insights gained from judges, advisors, opponents, and teammates. She emphasised the practical experience afforded by the competition, which extends beyond classroom learning. Kissoon echoed this sentiment, underlining the opportunity to apply classroom principles in a practical setting and to enhance advocacy skills, the release added.

Supporting the victorious team was Moot Court Guyana, a student-led organisation in the Law Department dedicated to fostering the advocacy skills of LLB students. Chevy Devonish, a lecturer at the Department of Law, served as the debating team’s advisor, the release added.