Guyana
Guyana exhibits mid-range performance across all four categories of the Global State of Democracy framework. It is among the world's top 25 per cent of performers with regard to Civil Liberties, Freedom of Association and Assembly, Freedom of Religion and Electoral Participation. Over the last five years, Guyana has experienced declines in Representation, Elected Government and Freedom of Expression. Though Guyana had one of the lowest GDP per capita in the region for decades, it has experienced ‘extraordinary’ economic growth since its discovery of offshore oil reserves in 2015.
European settlement in Guyana began with the Dutch in the late 16th century. The British then ruled for 200 years, until the country gained independence in 1966. Today, Guyana is ethnically and religiously diverse, and politics are dominated by two rival parties: the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC). Both parties are left-leaning, though support is driven more by ethnic identity than ideology, a legacy of Dutch and British colonial rule. While the PPP appeals to voters in the majority Indo-Guyanese population, the PNC locates its base among the second-largest group, those of Afro-Guyanese descent. As the country’s oil boom drives economic growth, the rivalry between the PPP and PNC has intensified, exacerbating ethnic tension. In a country with a history of ‘endemic corruption’, partisans fear the ways in which the battle for control of the Natural Resources Fund, which holds Guyana’s oil royalties, could become politically ethnicized.
In addition to control of oil wealth, corruption is also a driver of modern-day politics. For example, despite a history of credible elections, allegations of incumbent-led corruption and improper vote tabulation in the 2020 national election sparked widespread condemnation and legal recourse. Delayed judicial appointments paired with prosecutorial staff shortages have also produced massive court backlogs and long pretrial detention periods in overcrowded prisons. The government has also begun tackling this problem, seeking to abolish preliminary inquiries and reform bail procedures.
Indigenous peoples in Guyana make up around 10 per cent of the population, and though the law guarantees equal rights, they remain politically and economically marginalized. 90 per cent of Amerindian communities live in the country’s sparsely populated interior, and they are isolated from social services and political bargaining opportunities and frequently encounter unauthorized land encroachment for resource exploitation. They also disproportionately experience multidimensional poverty, and whether the profits of the country’s oil boom will trickle inland remains to be seen.
Gender-based discrimination is also barred by law, but not enforced. Despite the country’s commitment to increasing women’s participation in politics, workplace discrimination and gender-based violence remain rampant. Guyana also criminalizes same-sex intimacy and the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face severe discrimination and violence.
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch how newfound economic prosperity impacts Basic Welfare. Experts expect that this will depend not only on natural resource wealth management, but also on the government’s effort to diversify and create jobs in other industries. Navigating around the 'resource curse’ will also pose challenges. The Guyanese government has expressed commitment to strengthening accountability, but an elevated threat of corruption looms large. It will also be important to watch the judiciary and prison reforms, as well as whether growth fuels ethnopolitical divisions. Finally, the country’s legal recognition of indigenous land rights, especially after a participatory assessment of indigenous land holdings was carried out, will be critical to monitor.
Monthly Event Reports
December 2022 | Government seeks to strengthen legislation to tackle pervasive gender-based violence
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security announced Guyana’s Domestic Violence Act will be amended to the Family Violence Act in 2023. The new draft bill has been designed in conjunction with several pieces of legislation proposed by the government will redefine interpersonal relationships, adjust powers ascribed to the police and to the courts, and implement new punitive measures for perpetrators introducing criminal liability for violence. Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in the country, with 28 related deaths reported during 2022. Since taking office in 2020, the government has implemented a number of policies, initiatives, and programmes that deal with abuse against women, alongside intensified training and awareness efforts with the aim to achieve a cultural and behavioural shift in the population.
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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022
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