REFORMING THE CONSTITUTION

Apr 10, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

In Guyana, there are not too many people who have ever seen a copy of the constitution or let alone have thoroughly read its contents. We reckon the few persons who have seen it are those who have either studied politics and government, law or public policy.
As a result, a vast majority of the population probably have no familiarity with the various provisions in the constitution that have established the rights and freedoms, and the general framework under which they are governed and live. This is not only unfortunate, but it is the reality that exists.
Despite being the country’s most important legal document, the constitution for all intents and purposes, has largely remained unfamiliar to the average Guyanese citizen. It does not have a high level of visibility among most of them who seem not to be interested in its contents, especially in regards to their rights and freedoms.
Apart from being the most important legal document in the country, the constitution authenticates how the country should be governed.
In this the 50th year of Independence, the general lack of awareness of the Constitution by the public is an issue which needs to be urgently addressed as Independence and the Constitution go hand in hand. The Constitution, which was introduced on May 26, 1966 and amended on two separate occasions by both the PNC and PPP governments, is the supreme law of the land. Nothing supersedes it.
It is the only document that is entrusted to govern the relationship between Government and the governed. As such, familiarity with its provisions is essential for the citizens to effectively participate in the democratic and decision-making process.
As a special 50th Independence anniversary gift to the nation, it would be a wonderful idea if the government were to take the lead and launch a campaign to promote greater awareness of the constitution and its importance to the people by distributing copies to schools, libraries and community centres. The 50th independence anniversary should not be all about eating, drinking and partying only; it should coincide with the public consciousness on the need to improve certain aspects of governance to reflect current 21st century reality.
When the constitution was introduced in 1966, the needs and aspirations of Guyanese were fundamentally different. In fact, Guyanese back then generally took little interest in issues of their rights and governance, except in voting to elect a Government of their choice every five years.
Many of them went about their daily chores with little concern of how they were governed and by whom.
A lot has changed in Guyana since 1966. The level of education has improved and there is much greater exposure to what is happening in the country and around the world today due largely to the social media and the internet. Guyanese are more conscious of their rights and freedoms now more than before,
They have demanded a greater say in the country’s governance beyond the five-minute exercise of voting in general elections. However, public awareness of the Constitution is integral to good governance.
The 50th independence anniversary should be an opportune time for the government to revisit the issue of reforming the constitutional, especially in light of the promise it made when in opposition. It is too important an issue to be overlooked.
Reforming the constitution should be a high priority for the government to stimulate public interest and debate. Interestingly enough, the Constitution has received no significant mention in the context of the 50th Independence celebrationsso far.
However, looking ahead, it would be a brilliant idea if the government appoints a committee comprising legal scholars, interests groupsand members of the public to seriously examine how the Constitution has worked over the past 50 years and what should be done to improve it in order to bring Guyana into the 21st century.

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REFORMING THE CONSTITUTION

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