The government is reviewing Guyana’s immigration and citizenship laws to tighten citizenship controls and regulate property ownership.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon. Anil Nandlall, SC, made the disclosure during his weekly programme, Issues in the News, on Tuesday evening.

The Attorney General’s Chambers is leading the review in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies.

“The objective is to restrict acquisition of Guyanese citizenship, to put checks and balances in place, to regulate with greater scrutiny the grant of citizenship, and to regulate land ownership or property ownership in respect of non-citizens of Guyana,” Minister Nandlall explained.

Minister Nandlall noted that much of the country’s citizenship framework is set out in the Constitution. The review will therefore focus on the areas that can be changed through ordinary legislation.

He said several stakeholder organisations have called on the government to act on the matter and assured that the process will be consultative.

The review forms part of wider efforts to modernise Guyana’s regulatory framework, including an ongoing review of labour laws with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and a new occupational health and safety framework.