Georgetown, Guyana — Guyana’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, on Friday forcefully rejected claims published in the tabloid-lik, anti-government local newspaper, Kaieteur News that the administration’s human rights training initiatives contradict the delayed appointment of a chairperson for the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
The allegations were made in a letter by opposition parliamentarian Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, who argued that the Ministry’s celebration of human rights training “stands in sharp contradiction” to the still-vacant HRC chairmanship. Teixeira dismissed the argument as “incorrect and illogical,” saying it rests on “regrettable but unsurprisingly flawed premises.”
Teixeira said human rights education is a legal obligation under international standards and an essential element of democratic governance—not a symbolic activity nor a political tool. She noted that hundreds of Guyanese, including teachers, health workers, police officers, students, and civil-society actors, have enrolled in the government’s Certificate Course on Human Rights, demonstrating strong public demand for accessible education.
The Minister said Sarabo-Halley, who served in the 12th Parliament and participated in national budget examinations, should be aware that funds are allocated annually for the HRC secretariat. She added that the letter misrepresented the constitutional process for appointing the HRC chairperson.
Under Article 212N(3) of Guyana’s Constitution, the HRC Chair is appointed by the President from a list of six nominees submitted by the Leader of the Opposition. “Thus, the HRC Chairperson is not elected by the heads of other constitutional commissions, as incorrectly claimed,” Teixeira said.
Teixeira also described the suggestion that HRC delays are solely ministerial failures as misleading, noting that the issue spans multiple administrations. She pointed out that during the APNU+AFC government’s tenure from 2015 to 2020, no attempt was made to advance the constitutional process, and criticized Sarabo-Halley’s “silence” during the political standoff from March to August 2020.
The Minister argued that the absence of an HRC chair does not justify halting human rights training. “Such an erratic conclusion collapses under basic scrutiny,” she said, adding that training strengthens public accountability and equips citizens to understand and claim their rights.
Teixeira said the constitutional process to establish the HRC is separate from the education initiative and stressed that many matters eligible for the HRC can already be brought before the courts.
She reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to education, institutional development, and constitutional reform, stating that these efforts “can and shall progress with a more informed citizenry.”