Constitution of home country — Your rights and duties

THE EDITOR: Have you ever seen this? I have been trying to get this information and now that I have I would like to share it with you. Before I send it I would like to share some information with you. I just asked two people next to me who happen to be going to UWI if they had ever been taught anything about the Constitution of their home country, their rights and their duties. The response was basically I ain’t want to know about dat so I ain’t find dat. Try to tell that to a US history teacher or anyone who is getting at least a C in high school would know that the beginning of the protection of their rights starts with, We the People. Come on can you tell me that our young university students, ambassadors of our country, “ain’t want to know?” I am not only appalled, I am disgusted. Please God have mercy on us and share this message that our fathers, mothers and ancestors fought so hard for.

If you are interested in learning more, let me know and share this with your friends and colleagues.  Whereas the people of Trinidad and Tobago have affirmed that the nation of Trinidad and Tobago is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, faith in fundamental human rights and freedoms, the position of the family in a society of free men and free institutions, the dignity of the human person and the equal and inalienable rights with which all members of the human family are endowed by their Creator; respect the principles of social justice and therefore believe that the operation of the economic system should result in the material resources of the community being so distributed as to subserve the common good, that there should be adequate means of livelihood for all, that labour should not be exploited or forced by economic necessity to operate in inhumane conditions by that there should be an opportunity for advancement on the basis of recognition of merit, ability and integrity; have asserted their belief in democratic society in which all persons may, to the extent of their capacity, play some part in the institutions of the national life and thus develop and maintain due respect for lawfully constituted authority; recognise that men and institutions remain free only  when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law; desire that their Constitution should enshrine the above mentioned principles and beliefs and make provisions for ensuring the protection in Trinidad and Tobago of fundamental human rights and freedoms; now, therefore, the following provisions shall have effect as the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago:

Preliminary the state 1.1.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago shall be a sovereign democratic State. 2. Trinidad and Tobago shall comprise the Island of Trinidad, the island of Tobago and any territories that immediately before the 31st day of August, 1962 were dependencies of Trinidad and Tobago, including the seabed and subsoil situated beneath the territorial sea and the continental shelf of Trinidad and Tobago (“territorial sea” and “continental shelf” here having the same meaning as in the Territorial Sea Act, 1969 and the Continental Shelf Act, 1969, respectively), together with such other areas as may be declared by Act to form part of the territory of Trinidad and Tobago. No 38 of 1969 No 43 of 1969 THE SUPREME LAW - This Constitution is the supreme law of Trinidad and Tobago, and any other law that is inconsistent with this Constitution is void to the extent of the inconsistency.

MARC NARINE
Mt Lambert