TT too small to decentralise

THE EDITOR: Re Constitutional Flaw

Many people highlight the first-past-the-post system as the key flaw of Trinidad and Tobago’s Constitution, but I would like to point out an even more fundamental problem with the document. The Second Schedule on section 72 says.

“2. Subject to paragraph 3, the electorate shall, so far as is practicable be equal in all constituencies. 3. The number of constituencies in Tobago shall not be less than two.” Compare this with the Commandment in George Orwell’s Animal Farm: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

The effect of the provision in the Constitution is the same as the Commandment laid down in Animal Farm — that a Tobagonian’s vote carries more weight than the average Trinidadian’s vote. If, for example, there are only two people living in Tobago, then each person would effectively have a 5.5 percent say in who governs the Republic whereas each Trinidadian would have a much smaller percentage say in the outcome. Presumably, the provision was meant to give special consideration for the physical separation of the island Tobago, but surely it is far too clumsy a measure. Tobago already has separate Governance arrangements. Perhaps what is needed, given our propensity to discriminate against the less fortunate, is a guarantee of a certain percentage of State expenditure per Constituency on a per capita basis. It must also be said that Trinidad and Tobago is too small to decentralise to a large degree.  The allocations can be managed centrally with the right systems to prevent misappropriation.

RISHI-NIRVAN BALROOP
Diego Martin