THE lack of meaningful public submissions is hindering the pace of the Constitutional Reform Commission’s work, with only six submissions received so far, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has said.
Nandlall said the commission had issued a public advisory several months ago inviting members of the public and other stakeholders to submit their views on constitutional reform.
However, according to a report he received last week, only six submissions have been made to the commission.
He said he was informed that the submissions received so far “hardly relate to constitutional reform” and instead concern matters that are largely unconnected to the Constitution of Guyana or the reform process.
“It is clear that the Constitutional Reform Commission is not proceeding at the pace that we would have liked it to proceed,” Nandlall said.
He explained that the commission is prepared to begin the process of receiving and considering submissions, but the limited response from the public has created a challenge for the process.
According to him, the commission had deliberately opened a period during which interested persons could make written submissions, with the deadline set for December.
However, he suggested that the commission may now have to consider whether the existing approach is sufficient to generate the level of public participation required for a meaningful constitutional reform process.
“We are ready as a commission to go out and take submissions,” Nandlall said, indicating that the commission could consider additional measures to encourage greater public involvement.
He said one possibility is for the commission to find another mechanism to “excite public interest” in the constitutional reform process.
Another option, he said, could be to reconsider whether written submissions should remain a “condition precedent” before the commission proceeds with public consultations.
Nandlall said he intends to raise the issue at the commission’s next meeting, particularly in light of the limited number of submissions received and their reported lack of relevance to constitutional reform.
Nandlall’s comments come as the government continues its broader legislative and legal-reform agenda, including efforts to modernise laws governing areas such as evidence and social-media regulation.
For the Constitutional Reform Commission, however, the immediate challenge remains getting members of the public to actively participate in the process and provide substantive proposals on how Guyana’s constitutional framework should be reformed.
The Constitution Reform Commission has launched a nationwide consultation process, inviting Guyanese to submit written proposals as part of a comprehensive review of the country’s Constitution, with the submission period remaining open until December.
The commission is inviting written submissions on a broad range of constitutional issues.
These include the full protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Guyanese under the law, the rights of Indigenous peoples and children, eliminating discrimination in all forms, improving race relations and promoting ethnic security and equal opportunity.
Other areas identified for review include reforms relating to elections and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as well as measures to secure and protect the economic, social and cultural rights of all Guyanese.
The review will also consider strengthening the independence of the judiciary, safeguarding public funds and integrity in public life, improving the functioning of the National Assembly, and enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of the local government system.
The commission noted that while the Constitution Reform Commission Act identifies these areas, they do not limit the scope of the constitutional review.
Members of the public are required to clearly label their submissions “Written Proposal on Constitutional Reform.”
Each submission must include the individual’s full name, address, email address and other contact information, along with a scanned copy of a valid photo identification.
Written proposals may be hand-delivered to the Office of the Secretariat of the Constitution Reform Commission, located on the fifth floor of 211 Camp and Lamaha Streets, Georgetown, or emailed to gcycrc2024@gmail.com.
The commission also indicated that individuals who have made submissions may be invited to participate in face-to-face sessions if “their submissions warrant further discussion.”
The deadline for the submission of written proposals is December 31, 2026.
