Tid bits from PM

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning and the People's National Movement have expressed their commitment not only to constitutional change but also to consultations with the people. Speaking at a political rally in San Fernando last Tuesday night, Mr Manning disclosed some features of his party's thinking on this crucial subject, indicating that, instead of being placed on the back burner, the PNM was actively shaping its own proposals. Among the changes which the party had in mind, he said, was the institution of an Executive President. Without going into further detail to define this change, it would seem that the Prime Minister has thrown this out as something for us to think about; after all, the PNM's programme for constitutional reform will have to come before the people.

An Executive President, what does it mean? In the first place, the change will do away with the posts of President and Prime Minister as we now have them. In their place will be the new office of Executive President who, as obtains in the US system, will be the nation's Executive, carrying full and complete responsibility for running the affairs of the country. In fact, where the constitution at present vests executive authority in the Cabinet, the change most likely will transfer this power to the Executive President. We presume that the argument to be made for this switch will be the idea that it befits the republican status which we opted for after gaining independence. However, it is a change that we should still have to think about since several countries, apart from the US, have Executive Presidents with different constitutional systems. For example, both France and Guyana have constitutions which provide for both an Executive President and a Prime Minister, the one shaping plans and policies while the other serving as an implementer. So that one of the many constitutional questions our people will have to decide is whether or not they want to change the present system to what Mr Manning has indicated and, if so, what kind of Executive Presidential arrangement we should adopt.

The Prime Minister also advanced the idea of an increase in parliamentary seats and an expansion of the Senate by a further 15 members including the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly and mayors from the municipal boroughs. Again, these are matters for every section of our population to think about. While the time has come for us to renovate the constitution, we must insist that the exercise carry the stamp of our democracy, with every citizen having an opportunity to make a contribution. In light of the PM's references last Tuesday night, it now seems unfortunate that the Government did not respond openly and candidly to Senator Ramchand's motion asking for "a panchayat rather than a debate" on the issue of constitution reform. What the Independent Senator sought from the Government was an articulation of its position, "indicating what areas of the Consitution it considers to be in urgent need of review, whether it proposes piecemeal or comprehensive reform, how it intends to involve the population and what steps, et cetera." His motion, he said, simply asked the Government, "tell us what you might be planning to do and let us respond to you." The records will show that only five of Government's 15 Senators responded and these, according to Prof Ramchand played a "cat and mouse" game. In pursuing its commitment to reform our nation's constitution we expect the Government to be more forthcoming than this. Mr Manning has disclosed some tid-bits of what his party plans to propose; we look forward to a fuller exposition to which the country would respond.