The work of the Constitutional Reform Commission has been put on pause following the outcome of the September 1 elections.

The current Constitutional Commission Reform Act, which guides the work of the Commission, states that 5 members of the Commission are to be drawn from from the PPP and another five from the APNU along with one from ANUG and other members are from civil society.

However, Attorney General Anil Nandlall has indicated because the APNU is no longer the majority opposition party, the Act will now have to be amended to cater for government and opposition rather than naming the political parties to be represented on the Commission.

“And that Act was passed unanimously and it was a product of a select committee, but it was really felt at the time and we drew from the previous Act, and that is where the notion came from that we must maintain the composition of parties in Parliament, rather than saying five from government and five from Opposition,” Mr. Nandlall said.

Though established more than a year ago, the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) has made little progress.

The Commission is tasked with reshaping and strengthening the country’s constitution through nationwide consultation.  The Constitution was last amended in August 2000.

Already, Mr. Nandlall said adjustments have been made to a draft bill, that will go to cabinet for approval before going to the National Assembly for debate so that there can be adjustments to the new Commission.

“In keeping with the spirit of the Act, and the spirit that led to the enactment of that legislation is that we wanted, five members of the government and five from the Opposition and the five from the Opposition must come from the Opposition and we are likely to have a new configuration there now, with this new political party,” Mr. Nandlall said.

Two weeks ago, the Guyana Human Rights Association called on both the Chairman and Commissioners of the Commission to resign as a matter of principle as a result of the new political dispensation in the country.

Former AFC Leader Nigel Hughes, who was a member of the Commission has already resigned.

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