| 9. |
|
Sovereignty
belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives
and the democratic organs established by or under this Constitution. |
Sovereignity
belongs to the people. |
| 10. |
|
The
right to form political parties and their freedom of action
are guaranteed. Political parties must respect the principles
of national sovereignty and of democracy. |
Political
parties. |
| *11. |
|
Co-operatives,
trade unions and all socio-economic organisations of a national
character are entitled to participate in the various management
and decision-making processes of the States and particularly
in the political, economic, social and cultural sectors of
national life. |
Trade
unions and co-operatives. |
| |
|
*6. Any
written law passed or made on or after 6th October, 1980 and
before the date on which the Bill for this Act received the
assent of the President, and anything done, or any action
taken, under any such written law shall be deemed to be void,
or ever to have been void, only on the ground that any consultation,
or any participation in any management or decision-making
process, persuant to article 11 or any other provision of
Chapter II of Part 1 of the Constitution, has not taken place,
and every such written law shall, subject to the provisions
of Title
1 of Part 2 of the Constitution and to the power of the
Parliament to repeal or amend it, continue in force: |
Validation
Act. No. 1 of 1988. |
| |
|
Provided
that this section shall not be deemed to validate section
28C inserted in the Labour Act of the Labour (Amendment)
Act 1984 or section 7 of the latter Act. |
Cap.
98:01
No. 9 of 1984. |
| 12. |
|
Local
government by freely elected representatives of the people
is an integral part of the democratic organisation of the
State. |
Local
government. |
| 13. |
|
The
principle objective of the political system of the State is
to extend socialist democracy by providing increasing opportunities
for the participation of citizens in the management and decision-making
processes of the State. |
Objective
of Political System. |
| 14. |
|
The
supreme goal of the economic system which is being established
in the State is the fullest possible satisfaction of the people's
growing material, cultural and intellectual requirements,
as well as the development of their personality and their
socialist relations in society. |
Goal
of economic development. |
| 15. |
(1) |
In
order to achieve economic independence as the imperative concomitant
of its political independence, the State will revolutionize
the national economy. |
Economic
revolution. |
| |
(2) |
The
national economy of the State will be based upon the social
ownership of the means of production and the eventual abolition
of internal arrangements and relationships which permit the
exploitation of man by man. |
| |
(3) |
The
economy will develop in accordance with the economic laws
of socialism on the foundation of socialist relations of production
and development of the production forces. |
| |
(4) |
National
economic planning shall be the basic principle of the development
and management of the economy. It shall provide for the widest
possible participation of the people and their socio-economic
organs at enterprise, community, regional and national levels,
and shall also provide continuous opportunity for the working
people to exercise initiative and to develop a spirit of creativity
and innovation. |
| 16. |
|
Co-operativism
in practice shall be the dynamic principle of socialist transformation
and shall pervade and inform all interrelationships in the
society. Co-operativism is rooted in the historical experience
of the people, is based on self-reliance, is capable of releasing
the productive energies of the people, and is a unifying principle
in the total development of the nation. |
Economic
role of co-operativism. |
| 17. |
|
The
existence of privately owned economic enterprises is recognized.
Such enterprises must satisfy social needs and operate within
the regulatory framework of national policy and the law. |
Private
enterprise. |
| 18. |
|
Land
is for social use and must go to the tiller. |
Land
to the tiller. |
| 19. |
|
Every
citizen has the right to own personal property which includes
such assets as dwelling houses and the land on which they
stand, farmsteads, tools and equipment, motor vehicles and
bank accounts. |
Personal
property. |
| 20. |
|
The
right of inheritance is guaranteed. |
Right
of inheritance. |
| 21. |
|
The
source of the growth of social wealth and of the well-being
of the people, and of each individual, is the labour of the
people. |
Role
of labour. |
| 22. |
(1) |
Every
citizen has the right to work and its free selection in accordance
with social requirements and personal qualifications. He has
the right to be rewarded according to the nature, quality
and quantity of his work. Women and men have the right to
equal pay for equal work. |
The
right and the duty to work. |
| |
(2) |
Socially
useful activity is an honourable duty of every citizen able
to work. The right to work implies a corresponding duty to
work. |
| |
(3) |
The
right to work is guaranteed – |
| |
|
(i) |
by social
ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange; |
| |
|
(ii) |
by socialist
planning, development and management of the economy; |
| |
|
(iii) |
by planned
and progressive growth of the socialist productive forces
and labour productivity; |
| |
|
(iv) |
by consistent
implementation of scientific principles and new and productive
forces and labour productivity; |
| |
|
(v) |
by continuous
education and training of citizens; |
| |
|
(vi) |
by socialist
labour laws; and |
| |
|
(vii) |
by sustained
efforts on the part of the State, co-operatives, trade unions
and other socio-economic organisations and the people working
together to develop the economy in accordance with the foregoing
principles in order to increase continuously the country's
material wealth, expand employment opportunities, improve
working conditions and progressively increase amenities and
benefits. |
| 23. |
|
Every
citizen has the right to rest, recreation and leisure. The
State in co-operation with co-operatives, trade unions and
other socio-economic organisations will guarantee this right
by prescribing hours and conditions of work and by establishing
holiday arrangements for workers, including a complex of cultural,
educational and health institutions. |
Right
to leisure. |
| 24. |
|
Every
citizen has the right to free medical attention and also to
social care in case of old age and disability. |
Right
to medical attention and social care in case of old age and
disability. |
| 25. |
|
Every
citizen has a duty to participate in activities designed to
improve the environment and protect the health of the nation. |
Duty
to improve environment. |
| 26. |
|
Every
citizen has the fight to proper housing accommodation. |
Right
to housing. |
| 27. |
|
Every
citizen has the right to a free education from nursery to
university as well as at non-formal places where opportunities
are provided for education and training. |
Right
to education. |
| 28. |
|
Every
young person has the right to ideological, social, cultural
and vocational development and to the right of the socialist
order of society. |
Youth. |
| 29. |
(1) |
Women
and men have equal rights and the same legal status in all
spheres of political, economic and social life. All forms
of discrimination against women on the basis of their sex
is illegal. |
Equality
for women. |
| |
(2) |
The
exercise of women's rights is ensured by according women access
with men to academic, vocational and professional training,
equal opportunities in employment, remuneration and promotion,
and in social, political and cultural activity, by special
labour and health protections measures for women, by providing
conditions enabling mothers to work, and by legal protection
and material and moral support for mothers and children, including
paid leave and other benefits for mothers and expectant mothers. |
| 30. |
|
Children
born out of wedlock are entitled to the same legal rights
and legal status as are enjoyed by children born in wedlock.
All forms of discrimination against children on the basis
of their being born out of wedlock are illegal. |
Equality
for children born out of wedlock. |
| 31. |
|
It
is the duty of the State to protect the just fights and interests
of citizens abroad. |
Protection
of citizens resident abroad. |
| 32. |
|
It
is the joint duty of the State, the society and every citizen
to combat and prevent crime and other violations of the law
and to take care of and protect public property. |
Duty
to prevent crime and protect private property. |
| 33. |
|
It
is the duty of every citizen to defend the State. |
Duty
to defend state. |
| 34. |
|
It
is the duty of the State to enhance the cohesiveness of the
society by eliminating discriminatory distinctions between
classes, between town and country, and between mental and
physical labour. |
Abolition
of discriminatory distinctions. |
| 35. |
|
The
State honours and respects the diverse cultural strains which
enrich the society and will seek constantly to promote national
appreciation of them at all levels and to develop out of them
a socialist national culture for Guyana. |
National
culture. |
| 36. |
|
In
the interests of the present and future generations, the State
will protect and make rational use of its land, mineral and
water resources, as well as its fauna and flora, and will
take all appropriate measures to conserve and improve the
environment. |
The
environment. |
| 37. |
|
The
State supports the legitimate aspirations of other peoples
for freedom and independence and will establish relations
with all states on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual
respect, inviolability of frontiers, territorial integrity
of states, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-intervention
in internal affairs, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and co-operation among States. |
External
relations. |
| 38. |
|
It
is the duty of the State, co-operatives, trade unions and
other socio-economic organisations and the people through
sustained and disciplined endeavors to achieve the highest
possible levels of production and productivity and to develop
the economy in order to ensure the realization of the rights
set out in this Chapter. |
National
co-operation for development of economy. |
| |
|
Amended
by Act No. 1 of 1988 by insertion of the Article as follows: |
| 39. |
|
Parliament
mat by law provide that any provision of this Chapter shall
be enforceable in any court or tribunal and only where, and
to the extent to which, such law provides for the enforcement
of any such provision, and not otherwise, shall that provision
be enforceable in any court or tribunal. |
This
Chapter not enforceable unless legislation enacted for that
purpose.
1 of 1988. |
