Panday: TT, Nigeria in same struggle for reform

TRINIDAD AND Tobago and Nigeria are engaged in the same struggle for constitutional reform. This was the opinion of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday following a courtesy call at his Port-of-Spain  office yesterday by Prince Chibudom Nwuche of Nigeria. Asked about the nature of the talks between himself and the Nigerian Prince, Panday replied: “ What we did discussed is that in both our societies, there were ethnic and racial problems. There is always a constant struggle to find a constitution that will promote harmony in such  societies. So we spoke about constitutional reform and the need to develop indigenous constitutions to deal with the specific problems of any given society.” Panday said while Nwuche (a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives) did not offer any suggestions for constitutional reform in TT, he (Nwuche) did speak about how the Nigerian Parliament has been trying to find ways to deal with ethnic problems in Nigeria.

The United National Congress (UNC) has been clamouring for the Government to initiate constitutional reform in TT before it lends its support to pieces of legislation which require a special majority for passage in Parliament. Among them the Police Reform Bills and legislation to which allows the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to replace the Privy Council as the final court of appeal in the region. Panday said the CCJ did not come up for discussion. St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming said the UNC needs to revisit its position of total opposition to the CCJ and he was uncertain what his position would be when legislation to implement the Court comes to Parliament next month. Prime Minister Patrick Manning indicated last week that he intends to canvass Opposition MPs individually in order to obtain their support for the legislation. Government requires the support of at least four UNC MPs to pass the CCJ legislation.