Govt., Opposition at odds over preliminary matters in move towards constitutional reform

Jul 13, 2022 News

---

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana said it will not allow the current impasse at the level of the parliamentary committee established to initiate the process to bring about constitutional reform to stop the work from being accomplished.

This was expressed by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC even as he sought to address some of the concerns raised over the current state of the consultation happening at the level of the committee.

Major changes to the constitution require a two-third majority in Parliament for passage. The PPP/C enjoys a one-seat majority, which would not get it anyway to make the type of changes to the constitution it promised without the support from the opposition. Besides, when it was in government, the Coalition faced similar recalcitrance from the PPP/C opposition on matters of constitutional reform. In fact, the PPP/C had boycotted efforts to move the process forward.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Sanjeev Datadin on Friday last called out opposition members for their continuous absence from meetings to discuss matters related to constitutional reform, accusing them of deliberately hampering the process. Datadin also revealed that the opposition MPs had failed to submit proposals in relation to constitutional reform. In a video broadcast shared on Facebook, the Attorney General who is also chairperson of the parliamentary committee explained that despite what appears to be attempts by the opposition to stymie the process, the government is determined to keep its campaign promise to bring about constitutional reform.

Nandlall explained that the draft bill to establishing a constitutional commission has already been prepared and is set to be tabled in the National Assembly before it enters a period of recess in August. He noted that the opposition has been given since April 22 to present a proposal “in support of or counter to” the government’s draft bill. According to the AG, while a properly conducted constitutional reform process requires the bipartisan cooperation from all the main political players for it to be deemed effective and successful, the opposition is attempting to hamper the process and as a result, this will force the Government of Guyana to use it simple majority in the parliament to go forward with the process. “For me, it is better when both political parties in the National Assembly have their input… but at the interim, the Government must look at ways in which it can move on to its promise and in national interest,” Nandlall said.

However, Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and Opposition member of the committee, Khemraj Ramjattan said that the Government side has a misplaced view of their involvement in the process. He stated that there is no need for any major involvement of the opposition at this point.

“I had already given them the go ahead eight weeks ago, that the same terms that were used to draft the legislation for the last commission which was set up to guide constitutional reform in 2000 can be used again… This was done already. Why we have to go and reinvent the wheel and you got to go and refer back to your Cabinet and party and all that?” he asked.

According to Ramjattan, the government is nitpicking and making excuses about a process as a way of avoiding constitutional reform. He said, “They don’t want Constitutional Reform so they will place the blame at our doorstep. There was a quorum…If you want constitutional reform, proceed with the quorum that you have…”

Soon after, the PPP/C took office in August of 2020, Nandlall had outlined the legislative agenda for his ministry and he had said that reform of the election laws and constitution were high on the agenda. Last July, he had disclosed that the National Assembly’s Constitutional Reform Committee met only twice for the year due to COVID-19 constraints but at the same time, he had noted that that should not be seen as non-commitment to the process by the PPP/C government.

According to Nandlall, a standing Committee for Constitutional Reform was appointed pursuant to Article 119A of the Constitution. The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform consists of at least six members nominated by the Committee of Selection.

The Committee was appointed for the purpose of the continually reviewing the effectiveness of the working of the Constitution and making periodic reports there on to the National Assembly, with proposal for reform as necessary. To assist in its work, the Committee also has the power to co-opt experts or enlist the aid of other persons of appropriate expertise, whether or not such experts or other persons are members of the National Assembly.

---

---