Constitutional Reform Commission to resume, says AG -Legislative changes expected to reflect new parliamentary makeup
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has confirmed that the work of the Constitutional Reform Commission will resume now that the national elections have concluded.
Speaking on his weekly programme Issues in the News, Nandlall explained that the Commission, which consists of ten members- five representing the Government and five from the parliamentary opposition- had temporarily paused its work during the election period.
He noted that this decision was made unanimously by the members, given that half of the Commission’s representatives were actively engaged in political duties during the campaign season. “How can you sit when you have political responsibilities on a daily basis, taking you all over the country?” the Attorney General asked, defending the pause as a practical necessity.
With the elections now over, Nandlall said the Commission is preparing to reconvene but faces a new challenge: adjustments to reflect the post-election political configuration. The existing Act that governs the Commission was drafted under the previous parliamentary setup, which included the Alliance For Change (AFC) as part of the opposition.
“In keeping with the spirit of the Act, we wanted five members from the Government and five from the Opposition,” he explained. “But you have a new configuration now, with a new political party in Parliament and the AFC no longer there.”
According to the Attorney General, draft amendments have already been prepared to ensure the law accurately represents the new parliamentary balance. The updated bill will first be considered by Cabinet before being tabled in the National Assembly.
He added that one member of the Commission has already resigned, anticipating the changes to come.
The Constitutional Reform Commission, once reconvened, will continue its mandate to review Guyana’s supreme law and recommend measures aimed at strengthening democracy, governance, and accountability.
