Once elected, politicians become oblivious to promise of Constitutional Reform - Goolsarran

Once elected, politicians become oblivious to promise of Constitutional Reform – Goolsarran

Apr 09, 2019 News

Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran

When in Opposition, Guyana’s politicians set themselves on a pedestal and proclaim loudly and clearly to all four corners of the country, what they would do to address the deficiencies in the Constitution.

But once elected to office, they become so enamoured with its provisions and the benefits they derive from them that they either choose to become oblivious to their promises of Constitutional reform, or pay lip service to them.

This perspective was recently proffered by Chartered Accountant and former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, in his recent writings. Constitutional Reform is a matter which must be taken seriously by the leaders of the day, he said.

He noted that since the new Constitution was promulgated in 1980, many concerns have been expressed in relation to several key provisions that hinder the growth and development of a caring and humane Guyanese society founded on the basis of justice, equality, rule of law and good governance practices.

Passionate about the subject matter and the need for action, Goolsarran provided his ten-point action plan for reforming the Constitution.

The Chartered Accountant recommended that the Constitution be reformed to ensure the conduct of separate elections for the Executive and Legislative branches of government and that provisions are put in place to end to the ‘winner takes all’ practice and provide for the formation of a government of national unity.

The Constitution he said should also be changed to provide for the effective separation of powers between the Executive Branch of Government and the Legislative Branch, in recognition of the principle that the latter makes laws while the former executes them in accordance with the wishes of the latter.

Goolsarran believes that the Constitution should be amended to prohibit Ministers of the Government from being part of the Legislative Branch of Government in keeping with the principle of separation of powers and subject Ministers’ appointment as well as those of senior public officials to ratification by the Legislature.

The Chartered Accountant believes that it would be in Guyana’s best interest to have the Constitution amended to elect Members of Parliament on a constituency basis, so that each Member is accountable directly to his or her constituency and not to the political parties to which they may belong.

He noted that other changes to the Constitution should provide for independent persons to also contest national and regional elections as well as for membership of the Legislature; allow Members of Parliament to vote on issues on the basis of conscience rather than on party lines where they consider it necessary to so do; and provide for the membership of the Elections Commission to comprise persons who are genuinely independent of, or not associated with, the political parties contesting the elections.

Goolsarran also suggested the removal of immunity of the President in the Constitution and make him accountable to the Legislature and to the courts for his or her actions as well as all decisions taken.