APA..Newsletter
# 2
National
News...Constitution
Reform
The life of the Constitution Reform Commission (CRC) came to an end on July 17, 1999 and on this date the CRC submitted its report on recommendations for the reform of the constitution of Guyana to the National Assembly.
Whilst Amerindians did not succeed in getting the CRC to agree that the constitution must have a chapter dealing with Amerindian rights, a number of recommendations were accepted by the Commission and these are included as follows:
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED IN THE REPORT TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
1 That there should be reference to the Indigenous Peoples in the Preamble of the Constitution.
2. That the rights of the Indigenous Peoples should be placed under Fundamental Rights and provision made in the Fundamental Rights section for the protection of Indigenous culture and way of life, which should include language.
3. That self-determination should be recommended on the basis of the concept of devolution of power to institutions within the local government system.
4. That an Indigenous Peoples Commission be established to look into and make recommendations for specific issues including: land rights; improvements in legislation affecting Amerindians; the Amerindian Act; the scope and authority of the Council of Toushaos; empowerment with regards to local government and the Amerindian village council system; economic and education policy; cultural protection and preservation.
To date these recommendations have also been passed by the Select Committee of Parliament that examined the CRC recommendations.
Parliament has now agreed that an Oversight Committee with different Task Forces will oversee the other stage in the reform process, that is, the drafting of the language for the new constitution.