Govt one step closer to reducing presidential powers

Constitutional reform

… as final report submitted to PM

Government is now one step closer to realising its promise of reducing the powers of the President of Guyana following the submission of the final report on Constitutional Reform by the steering committee on Saturday.

The report was handed over to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo by the committee, established to define the scope of the actual reform process, and formulate the terms of reference and mechanisms for consultation to establish a Constitution Reform Commission (CRC).
Nagamootoo had promised to update the public on government’s next course of action once he received the final report.
It is expected that a constitution reform commission will come on stream and it is this commission which will effect the changes to the Constitution.
Government had promised they will have consultations with civic society and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) before making any constitutional reforms.
Nagamootoo had previously disclosed that the interim report recommended reduction in the powers assigned to the presidency.
He explained that the report contains a long list of areas that should be considered in the constitutional reform process but it will eventually come down to priorities.
“The interim report is a good document but it goes into some areas that are very detailed in terms of what ought to be changed in the constitution, not what must be changed,” he explained.
Some other recommendations that were included in the interim report are the geographic system and whether you have enough representation in parliament in terms of geographic constituencies.
Nagamootoo had noted that it is critical that changes to the constitution occur before General and Regional Elections 2020, however he did not say which specific areas should be targeted as a matter of priority.
A six-member steering committee on constitutional reform was established by the Prime Minister in August 2015 with prominent attorney Nigel Hughes as the convenor who had presented the interim report on January 2.