Elections processes, safeguarding public funds among key issues as public to be invited to shape constitutional reform

The Constitution Reform Commission (CRC), chaired by former acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh (Ret’d), will soon invite members of the public to submit their views on proposed constitutional amendments, including reforms to the electoral system and the appointment of elections commissioners, measures to strengthen judicial independence, and provisions to better safeguard public funds.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall is encouraging all stakeholders to submit their views, noting that public feedback will be an important component of the constitutional reform process.

Speaking during his programme “Issues in the News” on Tuesday, he noted that the invitation for the submissions should be published by this weekend.

“I take this opportunity, at this point in time, to appeal 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,” he noted.

The notice to be published will list the specific areas of the constitution that are under review, the Attorney General explained, adding that “the entire Constitution will be under review, but for convenience, it has been broken down into thematic areas”.

Some of the areas to be addressed include the full protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of all Guyanese, the rights of indigenous people, the rights of children, the elimination of discrimination in all forms, and measures to ensure that the views of minorities in decision-making processes and in the conduct of government are given due consideration.

Feedback will also be solicited on reforms relating to elections as well as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), taking into consideration its composition, the method of electing its chairman and members, and its jurisdiction over national registration and electoral processes.

“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. 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. These thematic areas are the crucial areas that you should focus on,” Nandlall added.

However, he explained that the areas outlined are not exhaustive and stakeholders are free to make submissions on other matters of interest.

Submissions cannot be made anonymously and provisions will be put in place for views to be submitted in writing electronically and in person. Additionally, the CRC will conduct nationwide outreaches for the purpose of oral submissions by stakeholders.

The current 21-member CRC was sworn in by President Dr Irfaan Ali in 2024 after the highly-anticipated Constitution Reform Commission Act was passed in the National Assembly in 2022.

Other members of the CRC are: Nandlall, along with Ministers Gail Teixeira, Dr Frank Anthony, Pauline Sukhai, and Kwame McCoy for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government; Vincent Alexander, Sherwood Lowe, Ganesh Mahipal, and previously Nigel Hughes for the then A Partnership National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Opposition; while Timothy Jonas was the other political appointee, representing the joinder parties that held one seat in the last National Assembly; Labour Movement Representative Aslim Singh; National Toshaos Council Representative Derrick John; Private Sector Representative Ramesh Persaud; Women’s Representative Kim Kyte-Thomas; Youth Representative Dr Josh Kanhai; Muslim Representative Imran Ally; Hindu Representative Radha Krishna Sharma; Christian Representative Keoma Griffith; Farmers’ Representative Adrian Anamayah; and the Guyana Bar Association Representative Kamal Ramkarran.

However, following the September 2025 General and Region Elections, there were significant shifts in the political make-up in the 65-member Parliament. The PPP/C Government cemented its Parliamentary majority with 36 seats.

But the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), a new political party formed by US-sanctioned and now indicted businessman Azruddin Mohamed, secured the spot as the main Parliamentary opposition with 16 seats, effectively demoting the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to a minority opposition party with just 12 seats and kicking out the Alliance For Change (AFC) from the National Assembly. The former coalition partners had contested the 2025 polls separately.

In addition, another new political party, Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), managed to get one seat on the opposition’s side.

These changes to the current Parliamentary composition had raised the need for amendments to the Constitutional Reform Commission Act, which caters to five representatives from the Government and five from the Parliamentary opposition, including four from the main opposition party and one from the joinder parties, which no longer exists.

Already, AFC’s Nigel Hughes has resigned from the commission.