Legislature (British Guiana)

The Legislature was the parliament of British Guiana between 1961 and 1964. A bicameral body, it consisted of an appointed Senate and an elected Legislative Assembly.

History

A new constitution was promulgated on 18 July 1961, replacing the unicameral Legislative Council with the legislature. The new body consisted of a 13-member Senate and a 36-member Legislative Assembly.^[1] The 13 members of the Senate were nominated, with eight nominated by the ruling party, three by the opposition and two by the Governor.^[2] Of the 36 Legislative Assembly members, 35 were elected in single-member constituencies, and the elected MPs then elected a Speaker.^[1]

Elections to the new Legislature were held on 21 August 1961. Both houses convened for the first time on 5 October 1961, when members elected Rahman Gajraj as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Ashton Chase as President of the Senate.^[1]

Further constitutional amendments in 1964 scrapped the legislature, replacing it with a unicameral House of Assembly. The legislature was dissolved on 25 September 1964.^[1]

References

1. Historical information events and dates on the Parliament of Guyana from 1718 to 2006 Parliament of Guyana
2. The Constitutional Conference of (1960) Guyana.org