APNU Parliamentary Leader, Dr. Terrence Campbell, has filed a Fixed Date Application for Judicial Review and Constitutional Relief, challenging the President’s appointment of the Teaching Service Commission.

In a release today, the APNU said the action is taken in the public interest, aiming to uphold Constitutional compliance and promote the essential role of parliamentary participation in the governance of the nation.

At the end of December, the President appointed Members of the Teaching Service Commission without any consultation, although the Constitution mandates that such appointments be done after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

MP Campbell said “at the heart of this application lies a challenge to the Constitutionality of the recent appointments made by the President concerning members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). As stipulated in Article 207 of our Constitution, the appointment of TSC members is to be conducted through a process that requires, inter alia, meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. This constitutional mandate is not merely a procedural formality, but a vital safeguard designed to ensure balance, independence, and inclusivity within this essential body,” a release from APNU explaining the Court challenge stated.

Campbell said it is his belief , supported by legal advice, that the President’s appointment of three members to the TSC—despite the absence of an elected Leader of the Opposition—constitutes a grave misunderstanding of the constitutional framework.

He explained that the Constitution expressly requires that meaningful consultation must occur before any appointments are made under Article 207(2)(d). The critical requirement, he said, was unilaterally bypassed by the President, contravening the foundational principles that guide Guyana’s democracy.

“The absence of a Leader of the Opposition does not provide the President with the authority to override or dispense with this constitutional safeguard. Effective governance requires adherence to constitutional processes, and it is essential that the rights of the Opposition Members of Parliament are respected in this context,” Campbell said.

Additionally, Campbell said the vacancy for the position of Leader of the Opposition has been tolerated and maintained by various Constitutional authorities and actors, including the President, the Speaker/Deputy Speaker, as well as Ministers and Members of Parliament on the government bench and therefore there can be no justification for the appointments.

He noted that there is no public record or evidence indicating that these authorities have said, or done, anything to encourage the Speaker to convene a meeting for the election of a new Leader of the Opposition as required by the parliamentary process.

He recalled when government waited until the election of an opposition leader in 2022 before appointing commissions. In the absence now he said, the appointments undermine the constitutional framework and set a dangerous precedent that threatens the integrity of parliamentary democracy in Guyana.

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