Court of Policy | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Combined Court | |
 The Court of Policy building on Fort Island, Essequibo | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1732 |
| Disbanded | 1928 |
| Succeeded by | Legislative Council |
| Meeting place | |
| Fort Zeelandia | |
 |
|---|
| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Guyana |
| Constitution |
 Guyanaportal |
The Court of Policy was a legislative body in Dutch and British Guiana until 1928. For most of its existence it formed the Combined Court together with the six Financial Representatives.
The Court of Policy was established in 1732 by the Dutch authorities, [1] at a time when the colonies of Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo were under the control of the Netherlands. Responsible for legislative and administrative functions, it initially consisted of the Governor, five appointed officials including the Fiscal Officer and the Vendor Master and five colonists chosen by the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by the College of Kiezers. When the British took over the colony in 1803, they continued to use the Dutch administrative bodies including the Court of Policy. [1]
Initially the Court of Policy sitting together with the College of Kiezers formed the Combined Court. However, Lieutenant Governor of Demerara Hugh Lyle Carmichael abolished the College of Kiezers in 1812, giving its duties to the Financial Representatives, [2] who were elected by the public, although with a severely limited franchise. [3] The College of Kiezers was re-established in 1831 solely as an electoral college for the Court of Policy.
Following the 1891 constitutional reforms, the Court of Policy gave up its executive powers, which were transferred to the Executive Council. [1] The reformed Court of Policy had 16 members, half of which were elected. The eight unelected members were the Governor and seven government officials; the Attorney General, the Government Secretary, the Immigration Agent General and the Receiver General, together with three other appointees. The eight elected members were elected from seven constituencies; [1] Demerara East, Demerara West, Essequebo North Western, Essequebo South Eastern, Berbice, City of Georgetown (2 members) and New Amsterdam. [4]
The Colleges of Electors were abolished, and the eight elected members of the Court (and the six Financial Representatives) were elected by the public under a limited franchise. Elections were held under this system in 1892, 1897, 1901, 1906, 1911, 1916, 1921 and 1926. However, the franchise was severely limited; by the 1926 elections only 4.2% of the population were eligible to vote, up from 1.08% in 1921. [5]
The Court of Policy was abolished in 1928 when a new constitution created the Legislative Council; [6] its final meeting was on 17 July 1928. [1]
The Court of Policy was built in 1752. [7] It is a one-story clay brick building with 61 cm thick walls. The middle room is the church. The northern room was used by the court, [8] and the southern room was originally intended as prison, but was later designated as a slave auction. [7] The building is the oldest non-military structure in Guyana. On 19 February 2007, the Dutch Heritage Museum opened at the site. [7]
The building, along with the Fort Zeelandia, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tentative List on 15 November 1995 in the Cultural category. [8] The site has also been designated as a National Monument by the National Trust of Guyana. [9]
British Guiana was a British colony, part of the mainland British West Indies, which resides on the northern coast of South America. Since 1966 it has been known as the independent nation of Guyana.
Demerara is a historical region in the Guianas on the north coast of South America which is now part of the country of Guyana. It was a Dutch colony until 1815 and a county of British Guiana from 1838 to 1966. It was located about the lower courses of the Demerara River, and its main town was Georgetown.
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.
Berbice is a region along the Berbice River in Guyana, which was between 1627 and 1815 a colony of the Dutch Republic. After having been ceded to the Kingdom of Great Britain in the latter year, it was merged with Essequibo and Demerara to form the colony of British Guiana in 1831. In 1966, British Guiana gained independence as Guyana.
Essequibo was a Dutch colony on the Essequibo River in the Guiana region on the north coast of South America from 1616 to 1814. The colony formed a part of the colonies that are known under the collective name of Dutch Guiana.
Stabroek was the old name of Georgetown, Guyana, between 1784 and 1812, and was the capital of Demerara. Stabroek is currently a ward in the centre of Georgetown.
The colony of Demerara-Essequibo was created on 28 April 1812, when the British combined the colonies of Demerara and Essequibo into the colony of Demerara-Essequibo. They were officially ceded to Britain on 13 August 1814. On 20 November 1815 the agreement was ratified by the Netherlands.
Fort Zeelandia is located on Fort Island, a fluvial island of the Essequibo River delta in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region of Guyana. Not to be confused with Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo, Suriname, the current brick fort was built in 1743 for the Essequibo colony, replacing an earlier wooden fort built in 1726, and is among the oldest structures in Guyana. The fort replaced Fort Kyk-Over-Al as the capital of Essequibo in 1739.
Pomeroon is the name of a former Dutch plantation colony on the Pomeroon River in the Guiana region on the north coast of South America. After early colonization attempts in the late 16th century were attacked by Spaniards and local Indians, the original inhabitants fled the interior of Guiana, founding the colony of Essequibo around Fort Kyk-Over-Al shortly after. A second, and more serious attempt at colonization started in 1650, but was ultimately unsuccessful, as French privateers destroyed the colony in 1689. In the late 18th century, a third attempt of colonization was started, this time under the jurisdiction of the Essequibo colony.
General elections were held in British Guiana on 15 October 1926.
General elections were held in British Guiana on 19 October 1921.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1916.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1911.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1906.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1901.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1897.
General elections were held in British Guiana in 1892.
The Combined Court was the legislature of British Guiana until 1928. In its final form, it consisted of a sitting of the Court of Policy together with the elected Financial Representatives.
The College of Kiezers was an electoral college in the Dutch colonies of Essequibo and Demerara and their successor, British Guiana.
Laurens Storm van 's Gravesande was a Dutch governor of the colonies of Essequibo and Demerara from 1743 to 1772. He turned Demerara in a successful plantation colony, and the borders of Guyana are mainly based on his expeditions into the interior. He is also noted for his treatment of the Amerindians.