National Assembly (Guyana)

• Speaker
• Clerk of the National Assembly
• Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly
• 65 elected and voting members (including members of the governing party appointed as Cabinet Ministers)
• Non-elected and non-voting Ministers (allowed to the governing party)
• Non-elected and non-voting Parliamentary Secretaries (appointed by the President)

Under Article 169 of the constitution, a minimum of one-third of the elected members (excluding the person presiding) is required to be present for there to be a quorum enabling the sitting of the National Assembly to proceed.[7]

The National Assembly has traditionally met in the Parliament Chambers located within the Public Buildings (often referred to as Parliament Building). The President may, by proclamation, designate any other venue as the meeting place of the National Assembly, for any duration. This was recently done in 2020 when President Irfaan Ali issued a proclamation designating that the National Assembly meet at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and the limited space in the Parliament Chamber which was not conducive to ensuring proper social distancing.[8]

The predominant colour of the seats and carpet in the Parliament Chamber is green, reflecting the traditional colour of the elected House of Commons in the UK. This tradition is also replicated in the elected houses of various Commonwealth Caribbean legislatures including Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Barbados.

The most prominent feature in the chamber is the ornate ceiling by architect Cesar Castellani.[9]

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 70(3) of the constitution, the duration of the parliamentary term shall be for five years from the date the National Assembly, under the new Parliament, first meets after having been dissolved for a general election. The National Assembly is summoned to its first sitting of the parliamentary term by a proclamation by the President which designates the date, time, and venue of the sittings.[10]

The parliamentary term may, however, be longer or shorter depending on the circumstances which require either action. The President may at any time dissolve the National Assembly before the fifth year of its current term to make way for fresh elections. The President must also constitutionally dissolve the National Assembly after successful No-Confidence motion against the government[11] in order for new elections to be held within three months from the date the motion passes.[12]

The constitution also provides that the term of the National Assembly be extended in the event a state of war or emergency exists. However such extensions are limited to twelve months for each instance for a maximum of five instances. The President may also prorogue the National Assembly,[13] however, the constitution provides that each prorogation lasts for a period of six months.

Any member of the National Assembly may introduce a bill for the consideration of the assembly. All bills which deal with the finances or financial obligations of the government must receive the permission of the Cabinet, communicated by a Minister before it can be introduced into the National Assembly.[14]

The constitution allows the National Assembly to regulate its own procedure, which is done by the Standing Orders of the National Assembly. The Standing Orders were last amended in 2011 after extensive referral to the Special Select Committee on the Report of the Draft Standing Orders over a four year period.[15]

All bills must receive the assent of the President before they become law. The President may only refuse assent to a bill once and must do so with reasons noted to the Speaker of the National Assembly within 21 days of the bill being presented for assent.[7]

Within six months of the bill being returned, the National Assembly may by a vote of two-thirds of the elected members resolve that the bill be presented again to the President for assent. The President shall then give assent to the bill within ninety days of receiving the bill a second time.[7]

Assented bills which have become law are numbered sequentially by year (eg. Act No. 1 of 2020), sealed with the Seal of the Republic of Guyana, and are subsequently published in the Official Gazette of Guyana.[16]

"Enacted by the Parliament of Guyana:—"

General Elections (Parliamentary, Presidential, and for the members of the 10 Regional Democratic Councils) were held on 2 March 2020. The next elections are constitutionally due by 2025.

The current members of the National Assembly for the Twelfth Parliament are:[17]

• Politics of Guyana
• List of legislatures by country
• List of Speakers of the National Assembly of Guyana

• Constitution (2012). "CONSTITUTION OF THE CO-OPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA ACT" (PDF). Parliament of Guyana.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

• Official website
• Official Gazette The Official Gazette of Guyana