LAWS OF GUYANA

Table of Contents i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Table of Contents

THE CONSTITUTION AND PARLIAMENT

Cap. 1:01. The Constitution

2. Republic
3. Representation of the People
4. National Assembly (Validity of Elections)
5. National Assembly (Speaker’s Elections and Vacation of Office)
6. National Assembly (Disqualification)
7. Ministers, Members of the National Assembly and Special Offices
(Emoluments)
8. Legislative Bodies (Evidence)
9. Representation of the People (Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
10. General Elections (Observers)
11. Election Laws
12. Electoral Audit (Caricom Agreement) Act.
13. Election Laws (Filing of Vacancies in the National Assembly) Act
14. Constitution Reform Commission

LAW: APPLICATION, INTERPRETATION, REVISION

Cap. 2:01. Interpretation and General Clauses

2. Law Revision
3. Statute Law Continuation

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

Cap. 3:01. Court of Appeal

2. High Court
3. Fundamental Rights (Practice and Procedure)
4. Summary Jurisdiction (Appeals)
5. Summary Jurisdiction (Magistrates)
6. Public Service Appellate Tribunal

Cap. 4:01. Legal Practitioners

2. Public Notaries
3. Coroners
4. Council of Legal Education
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Cap. 5:01. Deeds Registry

2. Land Registry
3. Evidence
4. Petitions (Signature)
5. Contempt of Court
6. Land Registry (Validation of Awards)
7. Justices Protection
8. Powers of Attorney
9. Statutory Declarations
10. Evidence (Proceedings in Foreign Tribunals)
11. Deeds Registry Authority

CIVIL LAW AND PROCEDURE

Cap. 6.01. Civil Law of Guyana

2. Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions)
3. Defamation
4. Debtors
5. State Liability and Proceedings

Cap. 7.01. Summary Jurisdiction (Petty Debt)

2. Limitation
3. Arbitration
4. Foreign Judgements (Reciprocal Enforcement)

CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE

Cap. 8:01. Criminal Law (Offences)

2. Summary Jurisdiction (Offences)
3. Administration of Justice (Fines)

Cap. 9:01. Prevention of Crimes

2. Gambling Prevention
3. Cattle Stealing Prevention

Cap10:01. Criminal Law (Procedure)

2. Summary Jurisdiction (Procedure)
3. Juvenile Offenders
4. Fugitive Offenders
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Cap11:01. Prisons
2. Extra-Mural Work
3. Whipping and Flogging
4. Probation of Offenders
5. Criminal Law Reform
6. Training Schools
7. Rehabilitation of Offenders
8. Parole
9. Domestic Violence

ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES AND TRUSTS

Cap12:01. Deceased Person’s Estate Administration

2. Wills
3. to 20. Reserved
21. Insolvency
22. Official Receiver
23. Deeds of Arrangement
24. Family and Dependants Provision

Cap.13:01. Public Trustee

2. Public Institutions (Inmates’ Property)
3. to 19. Reserved
20. De Saffon Trust
21. Patoir Trust Fund
22. Trotman Trust Fund
23. Mitchell Trust

NATIONALITY, CITIZENS, IMMIGRATION

Cap14:01. Guyana Citizenship

2. Immigration
3. Aliens (Immigration and Registration)
4. Status of Aliens
5. Expulsion of Undesirables
6. Domicile Reform Act

DEFENCE, SECURITY, PUBLIC ORDER

Cap15:01. Defence
2. National Service
3. Guyana Defence Force Uniforms
4. Geneva Conventions (Supplementary Provisions)
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Cap16:01 Police
2. Reserved
3. Public Orders
4. Reserved
5. Fire Arms
6. Explosive

Cap17:01. Police (Discipline)

2. Police Complaints Authority

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Cap18:01. Privileges and Immunities (Diplomatic, Consular and International

Organisations)
2. Consular Conventions
3. Caribbean Meteorological Organization
4. Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute
5. Privileges and Immunities (Commission of the European Communities)

ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL)

Cap19:01 Guyana (Division into Counties)

2. District Government
3. Commission of Inquiry
4. Ombudsman
5. Public Corporations
6. Guyana Coat of Arms (Regulation)
7. Public Holidays
8. National Registration
9. Statistics
10. Corporate Bodies (Avoidance of Delay in Divestment of Assets)
11. Bureau of Statistics
12. Integrity Commission

ADMINISTRATION (REGULATION OF
PARTICULAR MATTERS)

Cap.20:01. Town and Country Planning

2. Kaieteur National Park
3. National Trust
4. Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and
Development
5. Environmental Protection
6. National Parks Commission
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Cap. 21:01. Publication and Newspapers

2. Cinematograph and Video
3. Reserved

Cap. 22:01. Fire Prevention

2. Fire Service
3. Fire and Casualties Inquiry

Cap. 23:01. Racial Hostility

2. House to House Public Collection (Control)
3. Music and Dancing Licence

Cap. 24:02. Guyana Methodist Trust Corporation

Cap. 25:01. Public Utilities Commission

Cap. 26:01. Reserved

PUBLIC SERVICE

Cap.27:01. Reserved for Public Service

2. Pensions
3. Pensions (President, Parliamentary and Special Offices)
4. State Pensions
5. Public Officers’ Pensions
6. Promissory Oaths
7. Public Officers Spouses
8. Dependants’ Pension
9. Guyana National Service (Pension and Gratuities)
10. Public Officers (Insurance)
11. Constitutional Office (Remuneration of Holders)
12. Constitution (Prescribed Matters)
13. National Data Management Authority
15. Pensions (Holders of Office in Local Democratic Organs)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Cap. 28:01. Municipal and District Councils

2. Local Government
3. Local Authorities (Elections)
4. Valuation for Rating Purposes
5. Local Government (Local Authorities Guarantee Funds)
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Cont’d)

Cap. 28.06. Local Authorities (Elections) 1990

7. New Amsterdam Town Council
8. Regional Development Authorities
9. Local Democratic Organs

Cap. 29:01. Amerindian

Cap. 30:01. Water and Sewerage Act

Cap. 31:01. Reserved

MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Cap.32:01. Reserved
2. Medical Practitioners
3. Dental Registration
4. Medex
5. Medical Termination of Pregnancy

Cap. 33:03. Private Hospital

Cap.34:01. Reserved
2. Antibiotics
3. Food and Drugs

Cap.35:01. Reserved
2. Public Health (School Children) Immunisation
3. to 9. Reserved
10. Chest Society (Incorporation)
11. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control)

SOCIAL WELFARE

Cap.36:01. National Insurance and Social Security

2. Poor Relief
3. Old Age Pensions
4. Friendly Societies
5. to 19. Reserved
20. Housing
21. New Building Society
22. Condominium (Regulation and Miscellaneous Provisions)
23. Rent Restriction
24. Housing Development
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Cap. 37:01. Reserved

Cap. 38:01. Equal Rights

2. Ethnic Relations Commission Tribunal

EDUCATION AND CULTURE

Cap. 39:01. Education

2. University of Guyana
3. Government Training College
4. Industrial Training
5. Teachers Pensions
6. Buxton Scholarship
7. Teaching Service Commission
8. Kuru-Kuru Co-operative College
9. Guyana Management Institute
10. National Equivalency Board
11. Presidents’ College
12. Caribbean Examinations Council
13. Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana
14. National Sports Commission
15. Caribbean Examinations Council (Examinations)

Cap.40:01. National Library

2. Berbice Reading Society
3. to 5. Reserved
6. Guyana Society
7. Reserved for Georgetown Cultural Centre
8. National Archives of Guyana

Cap. 41:01. Boy Scouts Association

Cap. 42:01. National Science Research Council.

RELIGION

Cap. 43:01. Reserved

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BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, CHILDREN

Cap.44:01. Registration of Births and Deaths

2. Civil Aviation (Births, Deaths and Missing Persons)

Cap. 45:01. Marriage

2. Matrimonial Causes
3. Maintenance
4. Married Persons (Property)
5. Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement)

Cap. 46:01. Infancy

2. Legitimacy
4. Adoption of Children

POST AND TELEGRAPH

Cap.47:01. Post and Telegraph

2. Telecommunications

Cap. 48:01. Common Carriers

Cap. 49:01. Guyana Shipping Act

2. Carriage of Goods by Sea
3. Passengers
4. Transport and Harbours
5. Government Wharves
6. Government and Contract Steamer (Traffic)
7. Shipping Casualties (Investigation and Prevention)
8. Mariner’s Club (Georgetown)
9. West Indies Shipping Corporation

Cap. 50:01. River Navigation

2. Demerara River Navigation Markers
3. Demerara Company Limited (Sluice)
4. Creeks
5. Boerasirie Creek
6. Hobaboe Creek (Diversion)

Cap. 51:01. Roads

2. Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic
3. Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks)
4. Demerara River (Mackenzie Bridge)
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Cap. 52:01. Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Cap. 53:01. Civil Aviation

WATER AND ELECTRICITY

Cap. 54:01. Public Utility Undertakings and Public Health Services (Arbitration)

Cap. 55:01. Guyana Water Authority

2. Water Commissioners
3. East Demerara Water Conservancy

Cap. 56:01. Reserved

2. Reserved
3. Hydro-Electric Power
5. Guyana Energy Agency

Cap.57:01. Electricity Sector Reform Act

2. Energy Sector (Harmonisation of Laws) Act

Cap. 58:01. Reserved

LAND

Cap. 59:01. Lands Department

2. Geological Survey
3. Amerindian Lands Commission
4. Surveys (Special Provisions)
5. Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission

Cap. 60:01. Immovable Property sale of Interests)

2. Title to Land (Prescription and Limitation)
3. District Lands Partition and Re-allotment
4. District Lands Partition and Re-allotment (Special Procedure)
5. War Graves

Cap. 61:01. Landlord and Tenant

2. Registration of Landlords

Cap. 62:01. State Lands

2. State Lands Resumption
3. Public Lands (Private Roads)
4. State Grants (President’s Signature)
5. Acquisition of Land for Public Purposes
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6. Acquisition of Land (Land Settlement)

7. Land Bonds
8. Vesting of Property (Acquisition by Purchase)
9. Acquisition of Lands (Not Beneficially Occupied)

Cap. 63:01. Reserved

Cap. 64:01. Sea Defences

2. Sea Defence
3. Drainage and Irrigation
4. Drainage and Irrigation (Declaration of Areas)

MINING

Cap. 65:01. Mining

2. Bauxite Agreement (Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
3. Blasting Operations
5. Petroleum (Production)
6. Bauxite Nationalisation
7. Minerals
8. Miners Assistance
9. Guyana Geology and Mines Commission
10. Petroleum (Exploration and Production)

Cap. 66:01. Guyana Gold Board

FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE

Cap.67:01. Forests
2. Guyana Forestry Commission
3. Guyana Timber Export
4. Timber Marketing

Cap. 68:01. Reserved

2. National Agricultural Research Institute of Guyana
3. Plant Protection
4. Crops and Livestock Registration
5. Public Gardens and Agricultural Shows
6. Agricultural Loans
7. Plantation (Proprietors) Government Loans
8. Produce Protection
9. Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control
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Cap. 69:01. Guyana Rice Producers Association

2. Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure)
3. Sugar Industry (Special Funds)
4. National Cane Farming Committee
5. Coconut Producers (Control)
6. Tobacco Impregnation
7. Balata
8. Sugar Industry Special Funds (Special Provisions)
9. Cane Farmers Special Funds
10. Caribbean Food Corporation
11. Mahaica-Mahaicony-AbaryAgricultural Development Authority

Cap. 70:01. Reserved

ANIMALS

Cap. 71:01. Livestock Improvement

2. Animal Diseases
3. Animals (Control of Experiments)
4. Pounds
5. Dogs
6. Importation of Bees
7. Wild Birds Protection
8. Fisheries
9. Slaughter of Cattle (Control)

MARKETING

Cap. 72:01. Guyana Rice Development Board

PUBLIC FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

Cap. 73:01. Financial Administration and Audit

4. Securities Industry Act
5. Procurement Act

Cap. 74:01. General Loan and Stock

2. Public General Loan (Supplementary)
3. Public Loan and Treasury Bills
4. General Local Loan
5. Treasury Savings Certificates and Savings Bonds
6. General Loans (International Bank)
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7. Livestock (Loans for Development)

8. External Loans
9. Debentures (Special Provisions)
10. Inter-American Development Bank
11. Premium Bonds
12. Inter-American Investment Corporation
13. Public Loan

Cap. 75:01. Co-operative Financial Institutions

Cap. 76:01. International Financial Organisations

Cap. 77:01. Guarantee of Loans (Public Corporations and Companies)

2. Caribbean Investment Corporation
3. State Enterprises (Guarantee)
4. Caribbean Investment Funds

Cap. 78:01. National Defence Bonds

2. State Planning Commission

REVENUE

Cap. 79:01. Revenue Protection

2. Licence Revenue
3. Provision Collection of Taxes
4. Revenue Authority

Cap. 80:01. Tax

2. Consumption Tax
3. Stamp Duties (Management)
4. Miscellaneous Licences
5. Rice Cess
6. Entertainments Duty
7. Government Lotteries
8. Sale of Travel Tickets
9. Tavel Voucher Tax
12. Hotel Accommodation Tax

Cap. 81:01. Income Tax

2. Income Tax (In Aid of Industry)
3. Corporation Tax
20. Capital Gains Tax
21. Property Tax
22. Acreage Tax
24. Estate Duty (Deaths on Service)
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Cap. 82:01. Customs

2. Reserved
4. to 20. Reserved
21. Intoxicating Liquor Licencing
22. Licensed Premises
23. Bitters and Cordials
24. Spirits
25. Stills
26. Members’ Clubs

Cap. 83:01. Sugar Levy

2. Bauxite (Production Levy)

Cap. 84:01. Reserved

BANKING, CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE

Cap. 85:01. Financial Institutions

2. Bank of Guyana
3. Caribbean Development Bank Agreement
4. Saving Schemes
5. Off-Shore Banking
6. Financial Institutions (Provision for Conversion into Public Companies)
7. Banking Laws
8. Corporations (Provision for Conversion into Public Companies)
9. Money Laundering (Prevention)

Cap. 86:01. Foreign Exchange (Miscellaneous Provisions)

Cap. 87:01. Dealers in Foreign Currency (Licensing)

TRADE AND COMMERCE

Cap. 88:01. Co-operative Societies

2. Industrial and Provident Societies

Cap. 89:01. Companies

2. Partnership
3. Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Cap. 90:01. Trade Marks

2. Reserved for Copyright (See Act 1 of 1966B and Subsidiary Leg.
1966, Page 64)
3. Patents and Designs
4. Merchandise Marks
5. Business Names (Registration)
6. to 9. Reserved
10. Sale of Goods
11. Pledge of Goods
12. Bills of Sale
13. Bills of Exchange
14. Weights and Measures
15. Weights and Measures
16. Guyana National Bureau of Standards

Cap.91:01. Trade
2. Insurance [1970]
Insurance [1998]
3. Traders (Breach of Contract)
4. Shops (Consolidation)
5. Money-Lenders
6. Hucksters (Licensing and Control)
7. Auctioneers
8. Old Metal Dealers
9. Pawnbroking

Cap 91:10. Guyana Export Promotion Council

11. Export and Import (Special Provisions)
12. Guyana Tourism Authority

Cap. 92:01. Petroleum

2. Sulphuric Acid
3. Molasses (Disposal)

Cap. 93:01. CARICOM Enterprises Regime

2. Caribbean Community (Free Entry of Skilled Nationals)

Cap. 94:01. Reserved

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INDUSTRY

Cap. 95:01. Industry Aid and Encouragement

2. Factories (Hours and Holidays)
3. Factories (Dangerous Trades Regulation)
4. Steam Boilers Regulation
5. Rice Factories
6. Soap

Cap. 96:01. Reserved.

PROFESSIONS

Cap. 97:01. Land Surveyors

2. Weighers and Gaugers

LABOUR

Cap. 98:01. Labour

2. Omitted
3. Trade Unions
4. Wages Councils
5. Employment Exchanges
6. Recruiting of Workers
7. Trade Union Recognition

Cap. 99:01. Employment of Young Persons and Children

2. Holidays with Pay
3. Labour (Conditions of Employment of Certain Workers)
4. Housing of Labour Workers on Sugar Estates
5. Accidental Deaths and Personal Injuries (Damages)
6. Bakeries (Hours of Work)
7. Household Service Workers (Hours of Work)
8. Termination of Employment and Severance Pay
9. Prevention of Discrimination
10. Occupational Safety and Health

Cap.100:01. Maritime Boundaries