GUYANA
Jeremy D. Morley
Guyana's divorce laws are frankly archaic.
The Matrimonial Causes Act, Cap 45:02 dates back to 1916. It limits divorce to situations in which the applicant proves that the other party is guilty of adultery, cruelty or “desertion without cause for two years and upwards.” Sec. 3(1), Matrimonial Causes Act. Divorce mat also be obtained on the basis of insanity.
The Married Persons (Property) Act and the Matrimonial Causes Act provide extremely limited rights upon the dissolution of a marriage.
As a result “limping marriages” are common in Guyana and there is very little division of assets between spouses upon separation.
There are proposals to modernize the law but they have not been implemented.