Constitutional Reform: Govt committed to public consultations – VP
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
With swearing-in of the 20-member Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) expected soon, the Guyana Government has assured that the public would play an integral role in deciding what reforms would be undertaken.
It was revealed last month that all 20 members of the long-awaited CRC have been identified following consultations by the various civil society bodies which they would represent on the Commission.
These members are slated to be sworn-in by President Dr Irfaan Ali at sometime this month; and according to Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, this would soon occur.
“Now that (the members have been) put together, I think it will be soon. I can’t tell you an exact date; it depends on the President’s schedule… The last few weeks have been really hectic,” he explained.
The CRC comprises five members nominated by Government, five nominated by the parliamentary Opposition parties, including the joinder parties; and 10 members nominated by civil society bodies. Establishment of the CRC was a manifesto promise made by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), and according to Jagdeo, that party’s General Secretary, the PPP is committed to ensuring this promise is fulfilled.
“We want this done. This is a party promise that we made, so I guess (the swearing-in is) soon; because this is not some task that we’re reluctantly dragged to, it is part of our pre-election manifesto promise, and we will get it done,” he assured.
According to Jagdeo, unlike the other political parties that unilaterally decide on the reforms to be made, the PPP is committed to a consultative process with the public, which would commence when the Commission is set up.
“As a serious party, as the largest party in the country, the only national party, we pointed out what we’ve done historically. We changed our constitution to one of the most progressive in the world. Very few constitutions have the features of ours – the rights commissions and a whole range of features that protect people and citizens. Nevertheless, when there was a call for further constitutional reform, we said if there is a view that we should have that, we’re willing to put it back to the people of this country so they would be heard. That’s enshrined in our manifesto, and we’ll move it along; but we don’t have the arrogance of the small parties to say we will change this, because they never got that from the people, they supplant themselves. Some of them got 20 votes and want to speak on behalf of the people. We should go back to the people to listen to them, and that’s why the public hearing,” the PPP General Secretary has posited.
Consultation
In addition to promising constitutional reform in its 2020 Manifesto, the PPP also committed to consultation with the populace and important stakeholders, and a broad-based Constitutional Reform Commission would drive the process.
The way was paved for the establishment of the Constitutional Reform Commission, and the commencement of the reform process following the passage of the Constitutional Reform Commission Bill in the National Assembly in November 2022. That Bill sought the establishment of a 20-member Commission to review the country’s supreme laws.
The PPP/C Government had previously said that this would not be a politically-dominated Commission, but one that is comprised of half politicians and half civil society representatives, and their work would be driven by public consultation.
Among the political members identified for the CRC are: Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC; Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira; Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony; Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai; and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy. They comprise the Government’s representatives on the Commission.
The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition has named GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander, Economist Sherwood Lowe, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul, and Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes as their representatives.
The joinder parties – A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), and The New Movement (TNM) – which hold one seat in Parliament, will be represented by ANUG General Secretary Timothy Jonas, SC.
And the civil society representatives are: Attorney Kamal Ramkarran from the Guyana Bar Association; Aslim Singh from the Labour Movement; Derrick John from the National Toshaos Council; Ramesh Persaud from the Private Sector; Attorney Kim Kyte-Thomas from the Women’s organisations; Dr Josh Kanhai from the Youth organisations; Attorney Keoma Griffith from the Christian organisations; Imran Ally from the Muslim organisations; Radha Krishna Sharma from the Hindu organisations; and Attorney Adrian Anamayah as the farmers’ representative.
Once the long-awaited Constitutional Reform Commission is in place, a comprehensive consultation process is expected to begin with citizens on critical laws that need to be reformed.
According to the provisions of the CRC Bill, the Commission will 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.
The Commission is tasked with consultations for the reform process to continue, whereby a report would be prepared and sent to the standing committee. The committee would then refine the submissions into amendments for the National Assembly.
Last year, the Government earmarked the sum of $150 million in the 2023 National Budget for constitutional reform activities. This year, additional monies have been allocated towards establishment of the CRC, including the rental of a building to house the Commission.
According to AG Nandlall, Government has already identified the building on Middle Street, Georgetown – that was used for the conduct of several Commissions of Inquiry – as the office for the CRC. He noted that the building is already furnished and ready for occupation.