E-payment bill to be laid in National Assembly soon

The government plans to table an Electronic Communications and Transaction Bill at the next sitting of the National Assembly, as part of its continued implementation of legislation to reflect Guyana’s rapidly advancing and expanding economy.

The proposed bill intends to promote the development of the legal and business infrastructure necessary to implement secure electronic commerce.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, made the disclosure while delivering remarks at the Law Week 2023 symposium, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

The Attorney General said the bill will formally introduce e-transactions and e-payments across central government and the state apparatus ─ a measure that is necessary in light of Guyana’s transition to modernisation.

He said, “This will allow for easy conduct of transactions involving the modern methods of communications and payments.”

The bill seeks to ensure that electronic communication is recognised by law and acceptable for business and government transactions.

In January, the AG announced that the bill was on the docket for 2023, along with others including the Petroleum Bill.

These efforts form part of the government’s legislative agenda, aimed at implementing the corresponding legal framework and institutional capacity to sustain the country’s large-scale developments.

“A comprehensive review of a large body of our statute laws is requisite in order to bring them in consonance with a modern Guyana,” Minister Nandlall added.

He stressed that the government’s vision for the legislative agenda also entails an aggressive approach to building human capacity and strengthening legal institutions.

Guyana is looking to become one of the top petroleum-producing countries in Latin America.

Further, the AG noted that the government will continue in its endeavor to amend and reform the country’s legislation, as a complete review of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act has been completed and the amendment bill set to be laid in the National Assembly soon.

Moreover, these reforms are implemented to match the futuristic and technological society, as across all sectors, legislation is being introduced to aid in the expansion of these sectors. These sectors include health, agriculture, and oil and gas.