Small parties left out of Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reform

Some political parties are not too pleased that they have been left out of the Constitutional Reform Committee. That committee which is a Parliamentary Standing Committee, was constituted recently. Its mandate is to review the “working of the constitution” with the aim of making proposals for reform.

On Friday, Kian Jabour, a member of A New and United Guyana criticised the absence of the smaller parties on this committee. In a social media post, Jabour pointed out that ANUG is represented in the National Assembly through the joinder list with Liberty and Justice Party and the New Movement, “not including the third parties in this committee leaves thousands of Guyanese unrepresented during critical decisions and leaves questions to be asked about the government’s and main-opposition’s true interest in constitutional reform,” Jabour said as he said the party will be holding the Committee accountable on this issue.

He said that his party campaigned calling for constitutional reform in the lead up of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, “we have capable professionals that are willing to add fresh enthusiasm and new ideas for this parliamentary committee to enact meaningful reform that Guyana desperately needs,” Jabour pointed out.

Among the persons sitting on the committee are Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Education Minister Priya Manickchand and senior opposition members and lawyer Khemraj Ramjattan and Raphael Trotman.