Guyana is a parliamentary republic in which the President of Guyana is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President,advised by a cabinet. Legislative power is vested in both the President and the National Assembly of Guyana. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies,the British Overseas Territories,some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 August 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King-in-Council,the Privy Council formerly acted as the court of last resort for the entire British Empire,other than for the United Kingdom itself.
The politics of Barbados function within a framework of a parliamentary republic with strong democratic traditions;constitutional safeguards for nationals of Barbados include:freedom of speech,press,worship,movement,and association.
Cheddi Bharat Jagan was a Guyanese politician and dentist who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to his death in 1997. In 1953,he became the first Hindu and person of Indian descent to be a head of government outside of the Indian subcontinent.
Bharrat Jagdeo is a Guyanese politician who has been serving as Vice President of Guyana since 2020,in the administration of President Irfaan Ali. He had previously also held the office from 1997 until 1999,during the presidency of Janet Jagan. Jagdeo subsequently served as the President of Guyana from 11 August 1999 to 3 December 2011. He also holds a number of global leadership positions in the areas of sustainable development,green growth and climate change.
Elections in Guyana take place within the framework of a multi-party representative democracy and a presidential system. The National Assembly is directly elected,with the nominee of the party or alliance that receives the most votes becoming President.
The People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is a major political party in Guyana. As of 2020,the party holds 33 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly and forms the government. It has been the ruling party in the past as well,most recently between 1992 and 2015. In Guyana's ethnically divided political landscape,the PPP/C is a multi-ethnic organization that is supported primarily by Indo-Guyanese people.
The People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) is a social-democratic and democratic socialist political party in Guyana led by Aubrey Norton. The party currently holds 31 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. In Guyana's ethnically divided political landscape,the PNCR is a multi-ethnic organization.
The Caribbean Court of Justice is the judicial institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Established in 2005,it is based in Port of Spain,Trinidad and Tobago.
The National Assembly is one of the two components of the Parliament of Guyana. Under Article 51 of the Constitution of Guyana,the Parliament of Guyana consists of the president and the National Assembly. The National Assembly has 65 members elected using the system of proportional representation. Twenty five are elected from the ten geographical constituencies and forty are awarded at the national level on the basis of block votes secured,using the LR-Hare Formula as prescribed by the elections Laws (Amendment) Act 15 of 2000.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) persons in Belize face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT citizens,although attitudes have been changing in recent years. Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in Belize in 2016,when the Supreme Court declared Belize's anti-sodomy law unconstitutional. Belize's constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex,which Belizean courts have interpreted to include sexual orientation.
The Constitution of Guyana is the highest governing document in the Republic of Guyana. It came into effect on October 6,1980,replacing the constitution enacted in 1966 upon its independence from the United Kingdom. The current Constitution of Guyana contains 12 chapters that are further divided into 232 articles. It also contains a preamble and an oath. Since its 1980 enactment,it has gone through multiple amendments.
The Official Gazette of Guyana is the government gazette of Guyana.
The Ministry of Legal Affairs and Attorney General's Chambers ensures that proper legal services are provided to the Government of Guyana,as well as statutory services to the public. The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs is the head of the chambers. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Legal affairs handles administrative responsibilities for the departments within the Ministry and is the Accounting Officer. The Advice and Litigation Division and the Drafting Division of the Attorney General's Chambers are headed by the Attorney General and Chief Parliamentary Counsel respectively.
Snap general elections were held in Guyana on 2 March 2020. They were called early after the government of President David A. Granger lost a vote of no confidence by a margin of 33–32 on 21 December 2018,the government having held a one-seat majority since the 2015 elections. However,one of its own MPs,Charrandas Persaud of the Alliance for Change (AFC),voted with the opposition. Granger announced on 25 September 2019 that the elections would be held on 2 March 2020.
Mohamed Irfaan Ali is a Guyanese politician serving as the tenth and current president of Guyana since 2020. A member of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C),he previously served as the minister of Housing and Water from 2009 to 2015. He is the first Muslim to hold office,and is the third Muslim head of state in the Americas after Noor Hassanali of Trinidad and Tobago and Carlos Saul Menem of Argentina.
Mark Anthony Phillips is a Guyanese politician and retired military officer who is the prime minister of Guyana and first vice president under President Irfaan Ali since August 2020. He served as the chief of staff of the Guyana Defence Force from 2013 to 2016. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in September 1981.
Oneidge Walrond is a Guyanese politician. She is the current Minister of Tourism,Industry,and Commerce in Guyana. Walrond was appointed Minister by President Irfaan Ali on August 5,2020.
General elections are constitutionally mandated to be held in Guyana by December 2025 to elect members of the National Assembly and the President of Guyana. The incumbent President is Mohamed Irfaan Ali,who was elected in the March 2020 elections. He is eligible to seek a second and final term,with the constitution limiting presidents to two terms.
Aubrey Norton is a Guyanese politician serving as Leader of the Opposition and as a member of the National Assembly since April 2022.
Guyanese 