Jagdeo Highlights Constitutional Measures for Shared Governance; Opposition Questions Executive Inaction
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
At a press conference on Thursday, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, emphasized that Guyana’s Constitution already embeds mechanisms for shared governance, particularly at the parliamentary and institutional level.
Jagdeo noted that the framework for power sharing is visible through the establishment of independent constitutional commissions, such as the Public Procurement Commission and the five Rights Commissions, all of which require a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly for appointments—an achievement only possible through cross-party consensus.
“No political party has two-thirds of the votes. So, these commissions require collaboration between the government and opposition,” Jagdeo said.
He also pointed to the appointment process of the judiciary’s top two officials—the Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice—as an example of built-in power sharing, since their substantive appointments must be agreed upon by both the President and Leader of the Opposition.
“You show me another country that goes to this extent to include the opposition in such a critical area,” Jagdeo added.
However, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has stated on multiple occasions that he has no objection to the confirmation of Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards as Chancellor and Justice Roxane George as Chief Justice—appointments that have remained in an acting capacity for several years.
Despite Norton’s stated support, President Irfaan Ali has not yet acted on the appointments, leaving observers and legal professionals questioning why the constitutional requirement for agreement has not translated into action.
Local Government Commission Still on Hold
The standoff extends beyond the judiciary. The government is also yet to move forward with the appointment of the Local Government Commission, a key body that oversees local democratic organs and helps ensure transparency in municipal operations.
While Jagdeo maintains that Guyana has one of the most collaborative constitutional arrangements in the region, he acknowledged that building trust remains the most difficult element when exploring shared governance at the executive level.
As calls for political inclusivity and shared power continue to grow—particularly ahead of the next election cycle—questions linger around the government’s reluctance to finalize key bipartisan appointments, even as the constitutional structures for cooperation are already in place.
