Constitutional reform faces “uphill task” ahead of general elections

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 December 2024, 18:00 by Writer

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall on Saturday cast doubt over the completion of further reforms of Guyana’s constitution before next year’s general elections.

“I don’t wish to predict the work of the (Constitutional Reform) Commission. It may be an uphill task,” he told a news conference at his Carmichael Street, Georgetown chambers.

While Mr Nandlall referred further enquiries to the Chairman of the 20-member Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC), Retired Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, he suggested that the unlikelihood of the reform process being completed before Guyanese go to the polls in another 10 months might be due to the need for countrywide consultations that have to be done.

“I want to be realistic as possible,” he added.

Back in March 2024 when the CRC was sworn in, Justice Singh had himself said that reforming the constitution before the 2025 polls would be “ambitious”.

The Attorney General declined to say what aspects of the already reformed 1980 Constitution the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration would like to see, instead saying that that should be left to the political parties themselves and the consultative process.

Among the demands by the opposition People’s National Congress Reform, Alliance For Change and the Working People’s Alliance is for the Constitution to be amended to allow for fresh house-to-house registration. Already, the High Court has ruled that the names on the National Register of Registrants could not be removed except as a result of proven death.