Government has moved to the National Assembly Monday on Monday with the Constitution Reform Commission Bill 2022, which seeks the establishment of a Constitution Reform Commission to review the country’s supreme laws. The Bill was presented by Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira on behalf of Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall.
The explanatory memorandum states that the Act seeks the establishment of the Constitution Reform Commission which will consist of 20 members. Members of the Commission are to be appointed by the President and will include five members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, four members of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), one member each from the A News and United Guyana (ANUG), the Guyana Bar Association, the Labour Movement, the National Toshao’s Council, the private sector, representatives of women organisations, youth organisations, Christian, Hindu and Muslim organisations, as well as nominee representing farmers.
The commission will be granted the authority to review the Constitution to provide for the current and future rights, duties, liabilities, and obligations of the Guyanese people. It is mandated for that purpose to receive, consider and evaluate submissions for the alteration of the constitution, and report its recommendations to the standing committee for transmission to the national assembly.
In conducting the review, the commission will consider the full protection of the fundamental rights of and freedom of Guyanese under law, the rights of indigenous people of Guyana, the rights of children, eliminating discrimination in all forms, and improving ethnic relations while promoting ethnic security and equal opportunity.
The commission will also, among other things, implement reforms relating to elections and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), taking into consideration its composition, method of electing its chairman and members and its jurisdiction over national registration and electoral process.
The Constitution of Guyana is the highest governing document in Guyana. It came into effect on October 6, 1980.
