PM blames Parliamentary Committee for delays inConstitutional Reform

Although Government has been widely criticized for the delays in bringing about Constitutional Reform, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo has said that the blame should not be placed solely at the feet of the administration.

In an invited comment on the issue, Nagamootoo told Kaieteur News that the holdup is at the level of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reform, set up to help guide the process.

At this point there is a Standing Committee established under the Constitution. It is a bipartisan committee that has both members of the Government and the Opposition members including the current Attorney General and the former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

According to the PM, the committee was tasked with considering a Constitutional Reform Commission Bill which was tabled to set up the Commission to overlook the issues of Constitutional Reform.

Nagamootoo said that the Bill was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on the agitation of the opposition.

However, this was two years ago and the Committee has only met once.

They were supposed to look at it and report back to the National Assembly. I don’t know where the Bill is; I have asked the Attorney General and he said that the Committee met once. “I have never heard any calls, not even from the Opposition, for this committee to meet and without the Commission, there can be no Constitutional Reform.”

At this point, the Prime Minister said that he is hopeful that the committee would make serious considerations of the Bill and have it returned to the National Assembly.

“I have asked the government to allocate funds just in case we get the Bill. Last year we gave back about $60M because we did not make any progress on Constitutional Reform.

This year I have asked for a reduced sum and I am hoping that we have the bill passed,” he added.

Pursuant to Article 119A of the Constitution, there shall be appointed a Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform in the National Assembly for the purpose of continually reviewing the effectiveness of the working of the Constitution and making periodic reports there on to the National Assembly, with proposal for reform as necessary.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform consists of six members (nominated by the Committee of Selection).

Among other duties, the Committee is tasked with the aid of other persons of appropriate expertise on the issue of constitutional reform.

Despite criticisms, the Coalition Government had noted its commitment to bringing about constitution reform.

In his Budget speech, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan noted that Constitutional Reform remains a mandate and promise that this Coalition Government is keen to fulfill, within a system of participatory democracy. “Government remains hopeful that the bi-partisan Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform will conclude its review of the Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission Bill, which was referred to it by the National Assembly over a year ago.

Our Government welcomes the constructive scrutiny that the Members of this Committee will no doubt exercise in their rigorous examination of the Bill, as we collectively recognize the need to adapt our Constitution to reflect our evolution as a democracy.” Jordan noted that the Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly has been and will continue to spearhead constitutional reform with the full support of the Government.

“We have allocated some resources in Budget 2019 to mount a survey and an awareness programme, in partnership with University of Guyana and others.

The survey will seek to assess the current understanding of constitutional reform by the general populace and their expectations, while the awareness programme will aim to stimulate a grassroots participatory approach to the entire process,” Jordan said.

(Kaieteur News)