Senate approves Constitution reform

The Senate yesterday passed a motion, amended from the original presented some seven months ago by Independent Senator Prof Ken Ramchand, urging the Government to state its plans for constitutional reform.

After voting on three different versions of the motion, the Senate agreed by majority-vote: “Be it resolved this Senate will support the call for constitutional reform, Government do articulate its position on how it intends to commence the process and involve the population, and what steps it will take to ensure the exercise is completed in the shortest space of time”.  This final version offered by Attorney General Glenda Morean, beat other proposed versions including one from the Opposition calling for the issue to be referred to a parliamentary joint select committee. The Opposition expressed concern that Morean’s motion left matters in the discretion of the Government, instead of giving Parliament the power to oversee the debate. Ramchand himself was somewhat disenchanted with the disjointed way the whole debate over his motion had been conducted, on periodic private members days over a protracted seven month period. He suggested: “Let us revise the standing orders to let debates take place over a short period so that in the debates there will be continuity in our efforts and each debate will be a serious attempt at dialogue.”

Saying his motion had invited all to a free discussion on a policy to be stated by Government, Ramchand lambasted the Government for saying it had no definitive ideas but was just there to listen. Hitiing Leader of Government Busines Dr Lenny Saith for not removing the PNM party whip on its Senators over the motion, Ramchand scoffed: “This is the Kremlin! They are not hearing us buyt sitting down like Budhas while we talk our ears off” . Ramchand called for a new Constitution that reflected local values.