The 2022 Revised Edition of the Laws of Guyana was formally presented to the National Assembly on Friday, bringing the country’s legal framework up to date with all legislation enacted between 2012 and December 31, 2022.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon Anil Nandlall, MP, handed over the revised volumes during a sitting of the National Assembly, describing the exercise as a vital part of maintaining an accurate and accessible body of laws.
The revised edition incorporates all new legislation passed since the previous revision in 2012, as well as amendments made to existing laws over the past ten years.
Addressing parliamentarians, ambassadors, and students present in the National Assembly, the attorney general explained the lawmaking process in Guyana, noting that bills undergo several stages of scrutiny before becoming law.
“It comes here as a bill, and it concludes with requisite readings, goes to the President for assent, and when that assent is affixed, it becomes law,” he explained.
Minister Nandlall noted that the law revision exercise ensures that legislative changes are properly integrated into the country’s legal records, allowing users to access updated laws in a single consolidated source.
“The more fundamental part of the law revision exercise is to insert into those volumes the laws that have been passed since the last revision exercise,” he stated.
The AG further noted that amendments made to existing legislation are also incorporated into the principal Acts, ensuring that the laws can be read in their updated form.
The attorney general said the revised collection covers all laws enacted from 2012 to December 31, 2022.
“All the laws that we have passed from 2012 up to December 2022, December 31st, are the subject of the revised edition,” he told the House.
Minister Nandlall also emphasised the importance of preserving editions of the laws for historical and legal research purposes.
MP Nandall noted that judges, lawyers and academics often examine earlier versions when interpreting legislation and assessing legislative intent.