Commonwealth Caribbean Law Research Guide: Guyana

Guyana, located in the northeastern part of South America, is a member of the Caribbean Community. It was settled as a Dutch colony, then belonged to the British Empire until it became independent on May 26, 1966. The President of Guyana is the head of the executive branch, which exercises legislative power alongside the legislative branch, headed by the unicameral National Assembly of Guyana. The judiciary makes up the third branch of government, with the Supreme Court of Judicature presiding over an English Common Law-based system with some Dutch influences. The secretariat of CARICOM is based in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana.