The Government is reviewing the country's immigration and citizenship laws, with plans for greater scrutiny over citizenship grants and new regulation of land and property ownership by non-citizens.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall disclosed this during his weekly Issues in the News programme, outlining several areas of the country's regulatory framework currently under review.

Nandlall said the review of immigration and citizenship laws is being conducted by the Attorney General's Chambers in collaboration with the Ministries of Labour and Manpower Planning, Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, among other agencies.

He said a significant portion of the country's citizenship framework is constitutional and cannot be amended through ordinary legislation, but provisions that can be changed through legislation are now being examined.

"The objective is to restrict acquisition of Guyana 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," Nandlall said.

He said the issue has attracted the attention of several stakeholder organisations, which have been advocating for the review, and stressed that any changes would be subject to consultation.

The citizenship and immigration review forms part of a broader Government effort to modernise the country's regulatory framework.

Nandlall also disclosed that the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization, is reviewing the country's labour laws.

A separate review is under way into the country's health and safety regulatory framework, particularly in emerging sectors where Nandlall said there is little or no relevant regulation.