Latest update April 12th, 2025 5:05 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Guyana does not have a Westminster Constitution

Aug 11, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,
Over the last several months, the press has carried material blaming the Westminster Constitution for the ills of Guyana. One such letter which comes to my memory is Mr. Clarence Ellis’s “The Westminster model is holding us back”.

This regular incantation against Westminster is meaningless, and is merely the beating of ghosts as Guyana does not have a Westminster Constitution any more than the USA has one.

Before Independence, Guyana and the other Caribbean territories did have Westminster Constitutions; after Independence, the Westminster Constitution of Guyana was subverted and radically changed. It is thus a misnomer to call the Guyana Constitution “Westminster.”

The Guyana Constitution is not “Westminster” because:
(i) Westminster does not have Executive Presidents and Vice-Presidents, with sometimes as many as five Vice-Presidents,
(ii) Westminster does not have Proportional Representation electoral system, with the entire country being one constituency.
(iii) Westminster does not have a Chief Justice and a Chancellor at the same time, and the queer things which have happened in Guyana with this anti-Westminster system.
(iv) Westminster does not give the party political leader the power of choosing members of Parliament after elections, nor does it give the party leader the power of expelling an elected member from Parliament. This kind of gaucherie is unknown in Westminster.
(v) Westminster does not have the elaborate, contradictory, wasteful and mostly unworkable Local Government system the Constitution of Guyana has.

The failure of the Guyana Constitution is not due to its being “Westminster,” since it is not. The failures of the Guyana Constitution have been the result of LFSB’s subversion of the original Westminster.

The best way of making a Guyana Constitution which is democratic, people-oriented, eliminating corruption and development-oriented is to devolve power to the counties. In formulating a new Constitution, the Swiss Constitution with its pluralist philosophy could be an indispensable source of reference. The power and influence of the Central Government would be curtailed to great national advantage.

Mithra Bhushan

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Moo sponsored National Junior’s Squash C/ship eying exciting conclusion

Moo sponsored National Junior’s Squash C/ship eying exciting...

Apr 11, 2025

-Thrilling action unfolds on Day Three Kaieteur Sports- The courts at the National Racquet Centre (NRC) were once again buzzing with intensity on Wednesday as Day Three of Moo’s National Junior...
Read More
BK Group remains supportive of Bartica Easter Regatta

BK Group remains supportive of Bartica Easter...

Apr 11, 2025

GFF-Blue Water Shipping National U15 Secondary School Girl’s Football C/ship officially launched

GFF-Blue Water Shipping National U15 Secondary...

Apr 11, 2025

Elite League action returns to NTC this weekend

Elite League action returns to NTC this weekend

Apr 11, 2025

Two more young cricketers benefit from Project “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”

Two more young cricketers benefit from Project...

Apr 10, 2025

NSC receives sports uniforms from D8Door & Hardware Inc.

NSC receives sports uniforms from D8Door &...

Apr 10, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]