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Govt. paying $1M monthly to rent unoccupied building housing Constitutional Reform Commission secretariat
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC and his staffers during the consideration of the budget estimates on Tuesday
Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana has been paying $1 million per month to rent the bottom flat of a building located at Middle Street, Georgetown to house the yet to be established Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC).
This was revealed by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC when he faced queries in relations to the ministry’s $1.8 billion budgetary allocation on Tuesday.
Nandlall told the National Assembly that although the building is yet to be occupied by the commission; it is earmarked as the location for the secretariat of the CRC.
In the interim, the AG said that building which was rented about “last year or the year before” had been used to host the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Mahdia Dormitory Fire as well as the CoI in the March 2020 general elections.
Nonetheless, the AG said that steps are being taken to have the CRC appointed soon after the business of national budget 2024 concludes.
The bottom flat of this building located at Middle Street, Georgetown has been rented to accommodate the CRC
“The Constitutional Reform Commission, though it’s a tribunal to be appointed by his Excellency the President, the Attorney General has been assigned the responsibility to assist the President in the establishment of this tribunal. In this regard sir, we have rented a building on Middle Street, Georgetown.” Nandlall told the house in response to question posed by A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament (MP) and Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, Roysdale Forde.
He explained too that the monthly rental fee of the flat has increased since the building was initially acquired.
“When we initially took the building it was $700,000 but the land lord raised it to $1 million for the building. It’s located at Lot 92 Middle Street, Georgetown and it’s the entire bottom flat,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Legal Affairs explained that while the 2023 budget provided allocations for the establishment of the Constitutional Reform Commission, several factors have hindered its establishment, including the tensions between Guyana and Venezuela on the ongoing border controversy.
“Earnestly, I can safely say that after these budget proceedings are concluded, His Excellency shall move to appoint the Constitutional Reform Commission, and this is the building in which that commission will be housed. It is already furnished and ready for occupation by the secretariat and the commission,” he said.
The Constitutional Reform Act was approved in 2022 and provides for the establishment of the commission, which is expected to lead nationwide engagements on the much-needed process.
The 20-member commission will be drawn from political parties -five from the ruling party and four from the main opposition and one from the ANUG- while 10 will be drawn from religious groupings, the private sector, the Guyana Bar Association, the National Toshaos Council, the labour movement, women’s organisations as well as nominees representing farmers and youths.
Importantly, the AG pointed out that letters have been disseminated for nominations, and while the government has received responses from various stakeholder organisations, they are still awaiting a response from the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton.
“The Leader of the Opposition can confirm that he has been sent a letter inviting him to submit the names of his nominees to be appointed to the Constitutional Reform Commission, and he has until the 10th of February to do so,” he noted.
The commission is mandated to review the constitution and provide for the current and future rights, duties, liabilities, and obligations of the Guyanese people. As part of this aim, it will receive, consider, and evaluate submissions for the alteration of the constitution, and report its recommendations to the standing committee for transmission to the National Assembly.
Among other functions, the commission is empowered to implement reforms relating to elections and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), taking into consideration its composition, method of electing its chairman and members, and its jurisdiction over national registration and electoral processes.
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