The National Assembly yesterday passed a bill that seeks to provide financial autonomy to constitutional bodies, including the service commissions, the Ombudsman’s office and the elections commission.
Attorney-General Basil Williams said the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2015 seeks to restore due constitutionality and the independence of certain constitutional agencies and bodies.
The Bill was previously passed by APNU and AFC while they were in opposition but they failed to persuade the Donald Ramotar administration to give assent to enact the legislation. Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall had previously advised against assent, saying there must be a two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution or there could be a constitutional crisis in the making.
In his presentation to the House, which saw another sitting without the parliamentary members of the PPP/C, Williams said the bill will enhance the functioning of the entities by guaranteeing and strengthening their administration and control of moneys allocated to them for carrying out their functions pursuant to the constitution.
The Bill seeks to amend the Third Schedule of Article 222 (A) of the Constitution to assure the independence of entities, including the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Judicial Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Police Service Commission, the Teaching Service Commission, the Public Service Appellate Tribunal, the Public Procurement Commission, Office of the Ombudsman and the Guyana Elections Commission.
According to Williams, the Bill states that the expenditure of each of the entities shall be financed as a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund, determined as a lump sum by way of an
