The Constitutional Reform Commission is looking at alternative ways to increase public involvement in the ongoing constitutional reform process after receiving a limited number of written submissions from citizens and stakeholders.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, who serves as a member of the Commission, disclosed on Friday that only six submissions have been received since the body issued its public advisory several months ago.
According to Nandlall, the level of response has been considerably lower than anticipated, prompting the Commission to reconsider how it should engage the wider public.
“It is clear that the Constitutional Reform Commission is not proceeding at the pace that we would have liked it to proceed,” Nandlall told members of the media.
The Attorney General explained that the Commission’s initial approach was to invite members of the public to submit their views in writing before wider consultations were undertaken. The submission period is expected to remain open until December.
However, the limited response has raised questions about whether written submissions should continue to serve as a requirement before the Commission begins broader face-to-face consultations.
Nandlall noted that the submissions received to date have also presented some concerns regarding their relevance to the specific constitutional reform exercise.
Against this backdrop, the Commission is considering whether a different mechanism could generate greater public interest and encourage more Guyanese to participate in the process.
“We may have to find another mechanism of exciting public interest in the process, or reconsider whether written submissions ought to be a condition precedent for going out to public consultation,” the Attorney General said.
He indicated that the matter will be placed on the agenda for the Commission’s next meeting, where members are expected to discuss the challenges surrounding public participation and determine the most effective way forward.
The Commission’s work forms part of the wider national effort to review Guyana’s constitutional framework and consider possible changes aimed at strengthening the country’s governance and democratic institutions.
While the current submission period extends until December, the Commission is expected to examine the response received so far and consider additional methods of reaching citizens, organisations and other stakeholders.
The proposed changes to its engagement strategy are intended to ensure that the constitutional reform process attracts broader participation and that members of the public have meaningful opportunities to express their views on issues affecting the country’s constitutional future.