WPA calls on Nagamootoo to stop pussyfooting with Constitutional Reform

Jun 20, 2017 News

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) is quite dissatisfied with the reality that Constitutional Reform is yet to be realized.
At a press conference, yesterday, at its Queenstown Headquarters, WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds, expressed the party’s view that a great disservice is being done to the nation with the absence of Constitutional Reform.
He pointed to Constitutional Reform as a manifesto commitment that is still to be realized.
Dr. Hinds said that in every manifesto it ever prepared, from way back in 1985, the WPA has sustained a commitment to Constitutional Reform.
He said, “We fought for the inclusion of Constitutional Reform as a very important and central plank of this (the APNU+AFC) manifesto. We are not satisfied that the government has not moved purposefully in terms of dealing with Constitutional Reform.”
Dr. Hinds acknowledged the work of the Constitutional Reform Committee chaired by Attorney at Law, Nigel Hughes, and noted that the committee submitted its report to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo since last year. “But, every time the Prime Minister speaks he says, ‘Well you know we are going to bring things on stream.’”
Dr. Hinds said that the WPA is ready to see real action as the party is tired of Nagamootoo’s continued promise to get things on stream.”
The WPA executive member said, “We are dissatisfied with (the delay). We feel that Constitutional Reform is critical to everything that we are doing because it has to do with the way the State is reconstructed, the allocation of power, the whole question of ethnicity and the sharing of power in this country.”
Dr. Hinds continued, “We are very strong in the reduction of the powers of the President. We feel that despite some modification, the last time around in 1999/2000, the presidential powers are still too much and we will like to see a modification of those powers.
There are things that we feel need to be done immediately and that constitutional reform should be put on the table as a central plank.”
Dr. Hinds, who is a political scientist, said that ultimately Governments come, and Governments go, “but it is important that we have rules of engagement. These are what make up a constitution; a Constitution is rules of engagement that assure the population of a country that their security is guaranteed.
Dr. Hinds said that the WPA will argue within the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for a kick start of the constitutional reform process “for us to make good on our promise in the manifesto.” (Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell)

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