Delaying the inevitable

In Guyana, there are not too many people who have ever seen a copy of the constitution, let alone thoroughly read its contents. We reckon the few who have seen it are those who have either studied politics and government, law or public policy. As a result, a vast majority of the population probably have no familiarity with the various provisions in the constitution that have established their rights and freedoms, and the general framework under which they are governed and live. This is not only unfortunate, but it is the reality that exists.
Despite being the country’s most important legal document, the constitution for all intents and purposes, has largely remained unfamiliar to the average Guyanese. And this should be of concern, as the constitution essentially dictates how the country should be governed.
In this the 50th year of Independence, the general lack of awareness of the Constitution by the public is an issue which needs to be urgently addressed as Independence and the Constitution go hand in hand. The Constitution, which was introduced on May 26, 1966 and amended on two separate occasions, is the supreme law of the land. Nothing supersedes it. It is the only document that is entrusted to govern the relationship between Government and the governed. As such, familiarity with its provisions is necessary for the citizens to effectively participate in the democratic and decision-making process.
As a special Independence anniversary gift to the nation, it would be a wonderful idea if the government were to take the lead and launch a campaign to promote greater awareness of the constitution and its importance to the people by distributing copies to schools, libraries and community centres.
The occasion should not be all about eating, drinking and partying; it should coincide with the public consciousness on the need to improve certain aspects of governance to reflect current 21st century reality. When the constitution was introduced in 1966, the needs and aspirations of Guyanese were fundamentally different. In fact, it can be argued that Guyanese back then generally took greater interest in issues of their rights and governance, and voting to elect a Government of their choice every five years was of utmost importance. Many of them went about their daily chores with their minds focused on how they were governed and by whom.
But even with such awareness, a lot has changed in Guyana since 1966. The level of education has arguably improved and there is much greater exposure to what is happening in the country and around the world today, due largely to the social media and the internet. Guyanese are even more conscious of their rights and freedoms now than before and are demanding a greater say in the country’s governance beyond the five-minute exercise of voting in general elections. However, public awareness of the Constitution is integral to good governance.
The 50th independence anniversary presents an opportune time for the government to revisit the issue of reforming the constitution, especially in light of the promise it made when in opposition.  It is too important an issue to be overlooked. Reforming the constitution should be a high priority for the government to stimulate public interest and debate. Interestingly enough, the Constitution has received no significant mention in the context of the Independence celebrations so far.
Looking ahead, it would be a brilliant idea if the government appoints a committee comprising legal scholars, interests groups and members of the public to seriously examine how the Constitution has worked over the past 50 years and what should be done to improve it in order to bring Guyana into the 21st century. This way, a clearer picture could emerge on whether or not it is necessary to reform the constitution to improve democracy and governance. Delaying it is delaying the inevitable.