Constitutional reform process about to kick off

Last Updated on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, 8:24 by Denis Chabrol

The Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) is set to begin inviting the public to recommend reforms to Guyana’s Constitution which would form the basis for face-to-face public consultations countrywide, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said Tuesday night.

“The Commission will come to you, but of course you can come to the Commission for the purpose of the oral hearings but the process begins with a written submission,” he said on his weekly “Issues In The News” social media platform that Guyanese would have six months within which to submit recommendations.

He said the CRC would this weekend invite submissions in relation to its work from members of the public.  Submissions can be delivered by hand or sent by email to the Office of the Secretariat, Fifth Floor Constitution Reform Commission, 211 Camp and Lamaha Street, Georgetown or submitted by via email gycrc2024@ gmail.com .

Mr Nandlall ruled out anonymous submissions, insisting that they must be accompanied by a form of identification. “This is serious business. If you want to make a contribution to such a nationally important process, then you must be able to say who you are and give us some form of ID, so that we can authenticate and verify who you are,” he said.

The public engagement on constitutional reform comes at a time when concerns are being raised about whether migrants  and migrant workers from non-Commonwealth countries should be granted Guyanese citizenship, and  whether foreigners, including Commonwealth citizens, should be allowed to vote in Guyana’s elections. There are also protracted and repeated calls by the opposition that the constitution and relevant laws need to be amended to allow for fresh periodic registration of Guyanese in the country in order to remove the names of deceased persons and migrants and so allay concerns about a padded voters list and rigging.

The Attorney General said thematic areas to be addressed in the constitutional reform process include electoral reform,  the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), method of electing its chairman, and its jurisdiction over national registration and electoral processes.

For several decades, too, international election observers have recommended a revamp of the voter registration system, and restructuring of GECOM to make it more broad-based and end politically-designed gridlock.

He also listed the full protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of all Guyanese under law, rights of indigenous people, rights of children, elimination of discrimination in all forms, measures to ensure that the views of minorities in decision-making processes and measures to secure and protect economic, social, and cultural rights of all Guyanese, measures to maintain and strengthen the independence of the judiciary, measures aimed at safeguarding public funds and maintaining and enhancing integrity in public life under the law and by other proper means.

Also included in the thematic areas are the functioning of the National Assembly and any measures which can enhance its capacity and effectiveness as a deliberative body, and the functioning of the local government system and measures to improve its capacity and effectiveness.

The Attorney General appealed to all persons, groups, communities, organizations, and institutions to participate in this “crucial national process.” “This is a process of tremendous public importance. It will impact the type of amendments that we will see in the Constitution when the process concludes. Any responsible person, I think, would want to become part of this process,” he said.

He, however, said Guyanese could make submissions that are not listed in the advertisement. “You are free to make  submissions on any other matter, matters that may have been excluded that are in the constitution, or you may wish to add a matter or an issue to the constitution that is not currently there,” he said.