L.R.O. 1/2012
LAWS OF GUYANA
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (ADAPTATION AND
MODIFICATION OF LAWS) ACT
CHAPTER 1:09
Act
7 of 1973

Current Authorised Pages
Pages
(inclusive)
Authorised
by L.R.O.
1 – 8 ... 1/2012





LAWS OF GUYANA
2 Cap. 1:09 Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
L.R.O. 1/2012
Index
of
Subsidiary Legislation
Page
Age of Majority Order 6




LAWS OF GUYANA
Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws) Cap. 1:09 3
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CHAPTER 1:09
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (ADAPTATION AND
MODIFICATION OF LAWS) ACT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION
1. Short title.
2. Reduction of the age of majority from twenty-one years to eighteen
years.
3. Time at which person attains a particular age.
4. Persons under full age may be described as minors instead of
infants.
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7 of 1973 An Act for reducing the age of majority generally and
for matters connected therewith.
[ 1ST JANUARY, 1974]
Short title.
Reduction
of the age of
majority
from
twenty-one
years to
eighteen
years.
1. This Act may be cited as the Representation of
the People (Adaptation and Modification of Laws) Act.
2. (1) As from the 1st January, 1974 a person
shall attain full age on attaining the age of eighteen years
instead of on attaining the age of twenty-one years; and a
person shall attain full age on that date if he has then
already attained the age of eighteen years but not the age
of twenty- one years.
(2) Subsection (1) applies for the purposes of
any rule of law and, in the absence of a definition or of any
indication of a contrary intention, for the construction of
the expressions “full age”, “infant”, “infancy”, “minor”,
LAWS OF GUYANA
4 Cap. 1:09 Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
L.R.O. 1/2012


Time at
which a
person
attains a
particular
age.

Persons
under full
“minority” and similar expressions in—
(a) any law, enacted before, on or
after the 1st January, 1974; and
(b) any deed, will or other
instrument of whatever nature
(not being a law) made on or
after that date.
(3) The President may, by order, which shall
be subject to negative resolution, amend any provision in
any law enacted before the 1st January, 1974 by
substituting a reference to the age of eighteen years for any
reference therein to the age of twenty-one years; and any
such order may contain such other provisions for the
purpose of giving effect to this subsection.
(4) Notwithstanding any rule of law, a will or
codicil executed before the 1st January, 1974 shall not be
treated for the purposes of this section as made on or after
that date by reason only that the will or codicil is
confirmed by a codicil executed on or after that date.
3. (1) The time at which a person attains a
particular age expressed in years shall be the
commencement of the relevant anniversary of the date of
his birth.
(2) This section applies only where the
relevant anniversary falls on a date after that of the 1st
January, 1974, and, in relation to any law, deed, will or
other instrument, has effect subject to any provision
therein.
4. Anything in any law to the contrary
notwithstanding a person who is not of full age may be
LAWS OF GUYANA
Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws) Cap. 1:09 5
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age may be
described as
minors
instead of
infants.
described as a minor instead of as an infant.
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LAWS OF GUYANA
6 Cap. 1:09 Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
L.R.O. 1/2012
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
_________________
O. 4/1974 AGE OF MAJORITIY ORDER
made under section 2(3)
Citation.
Cap. 10:01

Statutory
provisions
Schedule.
1. (1) This Order may be cited as the Age of Majority
Order.
(2) The amendment effected by clause 2 to section
20 (b) of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act shall have effect
for the purposes of any revision of the list of jurors to be
carried out pursuant to section 25 of that Act after the coming
into force of this Order.
2. In the statutory provisions specified in the Schedule
for any reference to the age of twenty-one years there shall be
substituted the reference to the age of eighteen years.

LAWS OF GUYANA
Representation of the People
(Adaptation and Modification of Laws)
Cap. 1:09 7
[Subsidiary] Age of Majority Order
L.R.O. 1/2012
SCHEDULE
STATUTORY PROVISIONS AMENDED BY SUBSTITUTING
EIGHTEEN YEARS FOR TWENTY-ONE YEARS

Enactment
Short title Section
Criminal Law (Offences) Act
(Chapter 8:01)
Criminal Law (Procedure) Act
(Chapter 10:01)
Guyana Citizenship Act
(Chapter 14:01)
Friendly Societies Act
(Chapter 36:04)
New Building Society Act
(Chapter 36:21)
Marriage Act (Chapter 45:01)
Infancy Act (Chapter 46:01)
Motor Vehicles and Road
Traffic Act (Chapter 51:02)
Industrial and Provident
Societies Act (Chapter 88:02)
2 (definition of “guardian”);
66(4); 88
2 (definition of “guardian”);
20(b)
2(3)
29
9(2)
31(1) and (2); 32(2); 41; 43 (2)
(f); 47(2)(c); 65(3); 73(1); First
Schedule – Form B
6(1) and (2); 9: 10: 11(1) and
(2)
33(3)
31

LAWS OF GUYANA
8 Cap. 1:09 Representation of the People
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[Subsidiary] Age of Majority Order
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Trade Unions Act
(Chapter 98:03)
Intoxicating Liquor Licensing
Act (Chapter 82:21)
Land and Surveyors Act
(Chapter 97:01)

28
12(1)
8

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