Prime Minister of Guyana

The prime minister of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana is an elected member of the National Assembly of Guyana who is the principal assistant and advisor to the president as well as the leader of government business in the National Assembly, but is not the head of government in Guyana. The prime minister assumes the office of president if the presidency becomes vacant.

Background

The office of Prime Minister of Guyana was established in 1966 upon Guyana becoming independent. The office is the direct successor to that of the Premier and Chief Minister of British Guiana. In 1964, the last elections in British Guiana were held. With the next elections slated to occur after independence, the Premier of British Guiana automatically became Prime Minister of Guyana on Independence Day.

From 1966 to 1980 the prime minister was the head of government, exercising executive power and general direction and control of the government. During this time the country’s head of state was Elizabeth II (represented by a governor-general) from 1966 to 1970, and then a ceremonial president from 1970 to 1980 after Guyana became a republic.

The 1980 constitution abolished the ceremonial presidency and created an executive president who became head of state and head of government. Under the constitution, the prime minister before the commencement of the constitution became the president with full executive powers.Template:Sfn The office of prime minister was retained and now included the permanent subsidiary office of First Vice-President to further highlight the constitutional role of the prime minister as the president’s successor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However the powers and influence of the office and individual prime ministers have varied depending on the responsibilities delegated by the president.

Appointment and responsibilities

The prime minister is appointed by the president from among the elected members of the National Assembly of Guyana. As a result of the political structure of the government of Guyana where an election for the members of the National Assembly concurrently serves as an election of the president, the prime minister is always drawn from the party or coalition the president belongs to. Despite it being the practice of almost all political parties or coalitions to designate a presidential and prime ministerial candidate in the event they secure the most votes over any other parties or coalitions in the election, only a presidential candidate is legally requiredTemplate:Sfn to be designated in advance of the election.

The selection, appointment, and removal of the prime minister is therefore constitutionally at the discretion of the president; however, only a member of the National Assembly who is eligible to become president may be appointed prime minister.Template:Sfn This ensures that the requirements for a person to become president are met in case circumstances result in the prime minister having to accede to the office.

Under Article 101 of the Constitution of Guyana, the prime minister is described as the president’s principal assistant in the discharge of the functions of the president. The responsibilities of the prime minister include:Template:Sfn

• Serving as acting president whenever the president is temporarily absent or unable to discharge the functions of the office.Template:Sfn
• Acceding to the presidency in the event of the death, removal, or resignation of a president.
• Chairing the meetings of the Cabinet in the absence of the president.Template:Sfn
• Serving as the Leader of Government Business in the National AssemblyTemplate:Sfn (this is a legislative role and not akin to being Head of Government).
• Heading the office of the prime minister and having oversight of the subordinate agencies of that office.
• Serving as the subject Minister of any additional ministerial portfolios designated by the President.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Constitution also mandates that the prime minister – being first vice-president – has precedence over any additional vice president(s).Template:Sfn

Oath of office

Prior to the appointment of a prime minister, the president will issue an ‘Instrument Appointing a Prime Minister’ under the Seal of Guyana which sets out the name of the person to be appointed, and the section of the constitution utilized to make the appointment.

The prime minister-designate then takes the following oath of office of the form specified in the Schedule to the Constitution of Guyana: Template:Blockquote

The phrase 'so help me God' is not specified in the constitution, but may be added at the end of the oath on the personal discretion of the prime minister.

The oath is then signed by the prime minister and countersigned by the president, after which, the instrument of appointment is handed over to the prime minister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Symbols of office

There are no distinctive symbols of the office of prime minister as the coat of arms of Guyana is used. The prime minister is one of only two officials in Guyana – the other being the president – who do not use regular vehicle plates. The vehicle containing the prime minister displays a gold image of the coat of arms of Guyana.

List of prime ministers

This is a list of the prime ministers of Guyana, from the establishment of the office of Chief Minister of British Guiana in 1953 to the present day. After the creation of the vice presidency in 1980, the title became the Prime Minister and First Vice President of Guyana.

Political parties

Other affiliations

Chief minister of British Guiana

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Term of office			Political party	Monarch(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 1	File:Cheddi Jagan Anefo.jpg	Cheddi Jagan Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1953	Template:Nowrap 1953	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	Elizabeth II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | Template:Small			Template:Nowrap 1957<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Nowrap 1961	Template:Ayd

Premiers of British Guiana

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Term of office			Political party	Monarch(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 1	File:Cheddi Jagan Anefo.jpg	Cheddi Jagan Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1961	Template:Nowrap 1964	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	Elizabeth II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 2	File:Forbes Burnham (1966).jpg	Forbes Burnham Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1964	Template:Nowrap 1966	Template:Ayd	PNCR

Prime ministers of Guyana

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Term of office			Political party	Head(s) of state
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Guyana (Commonwealth realm)
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 1	File:Forbes Burnham (1966).jpg	Forbes Burnham Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1966	Template:Nowrap 1970	Template:Ayd	PNCR	Elizabeth II
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | Template:Small	File:Forbes Burnham (1966).jpg	Forbes Burnham Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1970	Template:Nowrap 1980	Template:Ayd	PNCR	Luckhoo Chung
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 2		Ptolemy Reid Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1980	Template:Nowrap 1984	Template:Ayd	PNCR	Burnham
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 3	File:Desmond Hoyte.jpg	Desmond Hoyte Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1984	Template:Nowrap 1985	Template:Ayd	PNCR
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 4	File:Hamilton Green mayor (cropped).jpg	Hamilton Green Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1985	Template:Nowrap 1992	Template:Ayd	PNCR	Hoyte
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 5	File:Sam Hinds 2006.jpg	Sam Hinds Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1992	Template:Nowrap 1997	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	C. Jagan Himself
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 6	File:Janet Jagan.png	Janet Jagan Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1997	Template:Nowrap 1997	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	Hinds
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | Template:Small	File:Sam Hinds 2006.jpg	Sam Hinds Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1997	Template:Nowrap 1999	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	J. Jagan
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 7	File:Jagdeo03032007.jpg	Bharrat Jagdeo Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1999	Template:Nowrap 1999	Template:Ayd	PPP/C
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | Template:Small	File:Sam Hinds 2006.jpg	Sam Hinds Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 1999	Template:Nowrap 2015	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	Jagdeo Ramotar
style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 8	File:Fotografía Oficial Cumbre de Jefas y Jefes de Estados Partes del MERCOSUR y Estados Asociados (23265837203) cropped.jpg	Moses Nagamootoo Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 2015	Template:Nowrap 2020	Template:Ayd	AFC Template:Small	Granger
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 9	File:PM Mark Phillips (cropped).jpg	Mark Phillips Template:Small	Template:Nowrap 2020	Template:Nowrap	Template:Ayd	PPP/C	Ali

Timeline

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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1953 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+1}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1955 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1953

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 id:ppp value:rgb(0.6,0,0) legend:People's_Progressive_Party/People's_Progressive_Party/Civic
 id:pnc value:rgb(0,0.4,0) legend:People's_National_Congress/People's_National_Congress_Reform
 id:afc value:rgb(1,0.8,0) legend:Alliance_for_Change
 

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bar:C_Jagan
bar:Burnham
bar:Reid
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bar:Green
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bar:Phillips

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 width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

bar:C_Jagan
 from: 30/05/1953 till: 09/10/1953 color:ppp
 from: 21/08/1957 till: 12/12/1964 color:ppp text:"Cheddi Jagan"
bar:Burnham
 from: 12/12/1964 till: 06/10/1980 color:pnc text:"Forbes Burnham"
bar:Reid
 from: 06/10/1980 till: 16/08/1984 color:pnc text:"Ptolemy Reid"
bar:Hoyte
 from: 16/08/1984 till: 06/08/1985 color:pnc text:"Desmond Hoyte"
bar:Green
 from: 06/08/1985 till: 09/10/1992 color:pnc text:"Hamilton Green"
bar:Hinds
 from: 09/10/1992 till: 17/03/1997 color:ppp
 from: 19/12/1997 till: 09/08/1999 color:ppp
 from: 11/08/1999 till: 20/05/2015 color:ppp text:"Sam Hinds"
bar:J_Jagan
 from: 17/03/1997 till: 19/12/1997 color:ppp text:"Janet Jagan"
bar:Jagdeo
 from: 09/08/1999 till: 11/08/1999 color:ppp text:"Bharrat Jagdeo"
bar:Nagamootoo
 from: 20/05/2015 till: 02/08/2020 color:afc text:"Moses Nagamootoo"
bar:Phillips
 from: 02/08/2020 till: $today     color:ppp text:"Mark Phillips"

</timeline>

See also

• List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II
• List of governors of British Guiana
• List of heads of state of Guyana
• President of Guyana
• Vice President of Guyana
• List of Privy Counsellors (1952–2022)

Bibliography

• Template:Cite web

External links

• World Statesmen – Guyana
• Rulers.org – Guyana