Administration
The British long continued the forms of Dutch colonial government in British Guiana. A Court of Policy exercised both legislative and executive functions under the direction of the colonial Governor. A group known as the Financial Representatives sat with the Court of Policy in a Combined Court to set tax policies. A majority of the members of the Courts was appointed by the Governor, the rest were selected by a College of Kiezers (Electors). The Kiezers were elected by a restrictive franchise, limited to the larger landowners of the colony. The Courts were thus initially dominated by the sugar planters and their representatives.
In 1891 the College of Kiezers was abolished in favour of direct election of the elective membership of the Courts. of Policy became half elected and half appointed, and all of the Financial Representatives were now elected. The executive functions of the Court of Policy were transferred to a new Executive Council under the control of the Governor. Property qualifications were significantly relaxed for voters and for candidates for the Courts.
In 1928 the British Government abolished the Dutch-influenced constitution and replaced it with a crown colony constitution. A Legislative Council with an appointed majority was established, and the administrative powers of the Governor were strengthened. These constitutional changes were not popular among the Guyanese, who viewed them as a step backward. The franchise was also extended to women.
In 1938 the West India Royal Commission ("The Moyne Commission") was appointed to investigate the economic and social condition of all the British colonies in the Caribbean region after a number of civil and labour disturbances. Among other changes, the Commission recommended some constitutional reforms. As a result, in 1943 a majority of the Legislative Council seats became elective, the property qualifications for voters and for candidates for the Council were lowered, and the bar on women and clergy serving on the Council was abolished. The Governor retained control of the Executive Council, which had the power to veto or pass laws against the wishes of the Legislative Council.
The next round of constitutional reforms came in 1953. A bicameral legislature consisting of a lower House of Assembly and an upper State Council was established. The voting membership of the House of Assembly was entirely elective. The State Council had a nominated membership appointed by the Governor and the House of Assembly and possessed limited revisionary powers. A Court of Policy became the executive body, consisting of the Governor and other colonial officials. Universal adult suffrage was instituted, and the property qualifications for office abolished.
The election of 27 April 1953 under the new system provoked a serious constitutional crisis. The People's Progressive Party (PPP) won 18 of the 24 seats in the House of Assembly. This result alarmed the British Government, which was surprised by the strong showing of the PPP, and which viewed the PPP as too friendly with communist organizations. As a result of its fears of communist influence in the colony, the British Government suspended the constitution, declared a state of emergency, and militarily occupied British Guiana on 9 October 1953.
Under the direction of the British Colonial Office, the Governor assumed direct rule of the colony under an Interim Government, which continued until 1957. On 12 August 1957 elections were held in which the PPP won nine of fourteen elective seats in a new legislature.
A constitutional convention convened in London in March 1960 reached agreement on yet another new legislature, to consist of an elected House of Assembly (35 seats) and a nominated Senate (13 seats). In the ensuing election of 21 August 1961 the PPP won 20 seats in the House of Assembly, entitling it to appoint eight senators as the majority party. Upon the 1961 election, British Guiana also became self-governing, except as to defence and external matters. The leader of the majority party became Prime Minister, who then named a Council of Ministers, replacing the former Executive Council.
From 1962 to 1964, riots, strikes and other disturbances stemming from racial, social and economic conflicts delayed full independence for British Guiana. The leaders of the political parties reported to the British Colonial Secretary that they were unable to reach agreement on the remaining details of forming an independent government. The British Colonial Office then intervened by imposing its own independence plan, in part requiring another election under a new proportional representation system. It was assumed that this system would reduce the number of seats won by the PPP and prevent it from obtaining a clear majority.
The December 1964 elections for the new legislature gave the PPP 45.8% (24 seats), the People's National Congress (PNC) 40.5% (22 seats), and the United Force (UF) 12.4% (7 seats). The UF agreed to form a coalition government with the PNC, and accordingly the PNC leader became the new Prime Minister. In November 1965 an independence conference in London quickly reached agreement on an independent constitution, and set the date for independence as 26 May 1966. On that date, at 12 midnight, British Guiana became the new nation of Guyana.
Read more about this topic: British Guiana, History of The Colony