Why suddenly a haste to re-examine the present Republican Constitution which served the country fairly-well. Admittedly, there are some issues needed to change, but the changes are not in the framing of the 1962 and 1976 Constitutions, but the present government uncaring and dictatorial approaches to governance.
We must remember that there were several confrontations in the pre-Independence days, when then Premier Dr Eric Wlliams tried to push his constitution on the populace. I remember vividly that at the Queen’s Hall conference, Dr Rudranath Capildeo, then leader of the Opposition, and leader of the Opposition Democratic Labour Party, and his delegation walked out of the meeting, because certain fundamental human rights and freedoms were ignored.
These matters were firmly settled at the Independence Conference in May 1962 at Marlborough House, London which was presided by the Secretary of the Colonies, Reginald Maudling under the guidance of then Prime Minister Harold Mcmillan.
At that Conference there heavy and serious talks before the Constitutional Agreement was signed and Dr Williams would tell the people of Trinidad and Tobago that certain issues which were discussed at the Queen’s Hall conference, were finally settled.
Certain issues I would like to see remain in the present Constitution is that the Prime Minister whoever he is, should regularly consult with the Leader of the Opposition on major communal and national issues as I am not sure that this practice is operational today. Appointments to senior and critical political, diplomatic and judicial appointments should be issues worth considering.
The Privy Council process should be maintained at all costs. The issue of proportional representation must be inserted in the proposed changes. All MPs must personally hold weekly meetings with their constituents, and not ask the constituents to send Whatsapp of the issues facing them. An independent Election and Boundaries Commission, Service Commissions, the selection of a President by national ballot, Commissioner of Police and the Defence Force must form the basis as bipartisan approach to governance.
All Local Government bodies must be patterned along the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), and not using projected powers as the case of the Local Government elections in 2023. All MPs, particularly the present Prime Minister should be able to curtail their tongue and watch his words, both in and out of Parliament. There must be solemn respects for the Opposition and other lawmakers in and out of Parliament. All MPs must take live by their oaths of office and speak the truth at all times. All MPs must respect the dignity of all peoples, regardless of their social, ethnic and political persuasions.
Speaker and President of the Senate must avoid toeing party lines and each MP must be given a fair and unbiased chance in both Houses of Parliament, instead of always using guidelines. Elected MPs must not only claim authority in the Parliament, but notable personalities should be given the opportunity to also address these institutions on matters of national importance. There must be rigid respect for all matters of national importance.
Bestowing of National Awards should not be the premise of the Prime Minister, but by the President of the Republic with the approval of the Special National Awards Committee under his or her preview.
There must be a two term limit for the Prime Minister, and all Ministers must declare their assets annually, and not to the National Integrity Commission, as the latter is non-functional..
All political parties must forcefully adhere to their manifestos which are on the election platforms, and failure to do so when elected must resign from office, as this process would not give the governing to stray away from its national mandate. Failure to enact this premise could lead to parliamentary dictatorship as it is now.
All Commissions of Inquiry should be done by a Special Committee, with a budget, and it must be given a specified time to report.
All persons guilty of murders should face the gallows.
Government should be more consultative and open to the cries of the national populace as evidence by the loud cries for water, roads, health care, among several other matters of development. Property Tax should not be levied heavily on the populace.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago are suffering from bad, very bad decisions by previous governments, as a case in point is the closing down of the railways system and we are now paying for this challenge, because of bad roads; the closure of Caroni Limited, and more recently Petrortin.
We are Trinidad and Tobago must seriously get up from our long slumber. We must not take part in active politics only at election times, but maintain continuous surveillance on the state of our governance.
The people have the power, and we must not surrender our power to any particular political group. We must keep abreast of the state of the country, be it politics, economic, social or developmental. We are getting the government we nurture, forgetting that we have the power in our hands to change the nature of governance and leadership. Let us be warned that we would be getting a Forbes Burnham or Maduro leadership.