CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE PROCESS

The report of the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform, appointed (SCCR) by the Government and headed by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, was handed over to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in April. It is now before Cabinet for a decision as to the way forward. President Granger, responding to a question on the television programme, Public Interest […]

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Once upon a time, during the colonial era, Guyana had a local government system that functioned. It emerged from the establishment of village democracy in estates purchased by freed slaves. It did not cover all of Guyana and its functions were limited. But legislation throughout the 20th century improved and expanded the local government and […]

CONSTITUTIONAL CONUNDRUMS

Among the events after elections are: (1) After the vote count, the results declared by the Chief Election Officer. (2) The electoral quota is calculated by dividing the total number of votes cast by the total number of MPs. (3) The votes obtained by each list is then divided by the electoral quota which allocates […]

CONSULTATION

The implementation of the process of consultation required of the President under Guyana’s Constitution has been one of the most controversial constitutional issues since Independence. During the later years of President Burnham’s rule, consultation had degenerated into a perfunctory telephone call to the then Leader of the Minority. After 1985 when President Hoyte assumed office, […]

AFTER FIFTY YEARS, TIME TO REMOVE THE OBSTACLE

A large number of observers of varying views believe that the single most important obstacle to progress in Guyana over the past fifty years and before has been the expression of ethnic division in organized political form and the failure to find a resolution to this dilemma by way of a constitutional or any other […]