Dear Editor,
I commend President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali for swearing in members of the Constitutional Reform Commission. This is indeed a step in the right direction and will certainly enhance governance in Guyana. Our democracy, though fragile, is still evolving. In fact we have come a long way since the days of non-elected legislators and limited franchise. The records will show that it was only during the early 1950’s that the income and property qualification for voting was lifted.
Since then we have experimented with several governance models including first-past the post, proportional representation and now a hybrid of the two models. This hybrid system has now been extended to the local government system as well. Constitutional reforms are necessary for democratic renewal. Guyanese will soon be provided with an opportunity to have their say on a governance model that is more inclusive and participatory.
Sincerely,
Hydar Ally
