TSC appointments unconstitutional – WIN says move deepens democratic erosion

Jan 01, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party has condemned President Irfaan Ali’s decision to appoint and swear in members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), warning that the move violates the Constitution and accelerates what it describes as a dangerous erosion of democratic norms in Guyana.

In a statement issued on Wednesday the party said the appointments were made in “clear disregard” of Article 207 of the Constitution, which requires the President to appoint three members of the Teaching Service Commission only after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

According to WIN, that requirement is not ceremonial but represents a core constitutional safeguard intended to protect the independence, credibility, and balance of key constitutional commissions.

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See below full statement

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For Immediate Release

Teaching Service Commission Appointments Undermine the Constitution and Deepen Democratic Erosion

We express grave concern at the decision by President Irfaan Ali to proceed with the appointment and swearing-in of members of the Teaching Service Commission in clear disregard of the constitutional requirements set out in Article 207 of the Constitution of Guyana. That article mandates that three members of the Commission be appointed by the President only after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. This requirement is neither symbolic nor optional; it is a fundamental safeguard designed to preserve the independence, credibility, and balance of constitutional commissions.

For an extended period, we have consistently called for the election of a Leader of the Opposition in accordance with parliamentary procedure. These calls have been frustrated by the continued refusal of the National Assembly of Guyana, acting under the authority of the Speaker of the National Assembly, to convene a meeting for that purpose. The resulting absence of a Leader of the Opposition is therefore not incidental. It is the product of deliberate inaction and cannot be used to justify the circumvention of express constitutional obligations.

The decision to move forward with appointments in this context compounds a troubling pattern that has developed within the education sector over the past two years. During the prolonged absence of a properly constituted Teaching Service Commission, numerous individuals were administratively placed into senior and leadership positions in schools without published vacancy lists, transparent selection processes, or formal appointments issued by the Commission. While these actions were framed as administrative measures, they occurred in a constitutional vacuum and undermined merit-based advancement, professional morale, and confidence in institutional governance. The last Teaching Service Commission, appointed in 2022 with consultation from the Leader of the Opposition, was constitutionally mandated to appoint, promote, discipline, and remove teachers. However, the last senior promotions were conducted in May 2023, and since then no further promotions or vacancy announcements have been made, signalling a neglect of the Commission’s responsibility to facilitate career progression within the teaching service.

Reconstituting the Teaching Service Commission through a process that itself lacks constitutional legitimacy does not remedy these irregularities. Instead, it risks entrenching a system in which executive discretion supplants lawful institutional authority and constitutional compliance becomes a matter of convenience rather than principle. Independent commissions exist precisely to prevent such concentration of power and to shield key public services from political interference.

Taken together, the deliberate paralysis of Parliament, the circumvention of mandatory consultation, and the normalization of executive-driven appointments reflect governance practices that mirror authoritarian tendencies rather than democratic accountability. The erosion of checks and balances and the weakening of independent institutions pose a serious threat to Guyana’s constitutional order.

We therefore state unequivocally that appointments to the Teaching Service Commission made without meaningful consultation with a duly elected Leader of the Opposition lack constitutional legitimacy. The continued refusal to facilitate the election of a Leader of the Opposition constitutes a direct assault on parliamentary democracy and undermines public confidence in the rule of law. We call on educators, civil society, trade unions, the legal community, and international partners to take note and to speak out in defence of constitutional governance and democratic norms.

Sad Guyana.

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