Longtime Parliamentarian and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has been bestowed with the prestigious Commonwealth Parliamentarian Lifetime Achievement Award at the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Sydney, Australia.

The award was presented during the conference’s award ceremony today.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir accepted the award on behalf of Minister Teixeira, who is in Guyana.

The Commonwealth award celebrate active and inspiring Parliamentarians excelling in their fields. 

Minister Teixeira was nominated for the award by the Parliament of Guyana in September 2024.

In a statement, the Parliament Office explained that following Minister Teixeira’s nomination, she was selected as this year’s recipient after meeting all outlined criteria of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). 

The Parliament Office said Minister Teixeira’s distinguished Parliamentary service spans more than thirty years, marked by her commitment to principled leadership in the areas of governance, accountability and consultation. 

It said her dedication to serving her constituents and the public has been exemplary, adding that she has earned the respect and trust of her colleagues while demonstrating an unwavering dedication to country.

Minister Teixeira, who also serves as the Government’s Chief Whip in Parliament, has served in four Ministerial roles since 1992: – Minister of Health (1992-1997) – Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (1998-2005) – Minister of Home Affairs (2005-2006) – Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance (2020-present).

 In addition to her roles as Minister, she served as the Presidential Advisor on Governance (2006-2015), where she established and led the Governance Unit within the Office of the President

She has also served as both a Government Chief Whip and Opposition Chief Whip, holding these key roles during critical periods from 2012 to 2015, 2015 to 2019, and from 2020 to present.

The Parliament Office said Minister Teixeira has provided valuable guidance, helping to foster consensus on complex issues, and encouraging a spirit of cordiality in the House. 

“Her influence extends regionally and internationally, where she continues to mentor Parliamentarians,” it said. 

The Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister sat on numerous Standing and Special Committees, dealing with issues ranging from constitutional reform to abortion; anti-money laundering and the countering of financing of terrorism; local government reform, and domestic violence. 

She has also chaired the Parliamentary Constitutional Reform Human Rights Task Force, which prepared the new human rights section of the revised 1980 Constitution.

Additionally, she also chaired the oversight Sectoral Committee on Economic Services and is the Chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Appointments, and, member of the Public Accounts Committee, and Parliamentary Management Committee.

She piloted Guyana’s two reports (2010 and 2015) to the Universal Periodic Review (URP) process, and Guyana’s reports on the Rights of the Child Convention; the Convention on Discrimination against Women; the Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; and the Convention against Torture. 

The Parliament Office said the Commonwealth Parliamentarian Lifetime Achievement Award underscores Minister Teixeira’s lifelong dedication to public service, her exemplary parliamentary career, her country, and the Commonwealth community. It said to date she continues to serve with distinction.

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