The “Meat on Framework” approach on the Constitution is illusionary

Oct 07, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
After making a call for the luminaries in society to come up with ideas for Constitutional Reform (CR), I saw letters from Anil Nandlall, a known leader within the PPP and Lincoln Lewis, ostensibly a new comer on the coalition’s bandwagon, standing in defiance of CR. The former I shall address at a later date. It reaffirms my point that the politicians enjoy the power given to them by the present constitution and do not wish to see any form of constitutional reform.
In his letter,” People must and understand the constitution before criticizing it. Lincoln Lewis wrote; “There continues to be confusion between the Constitution which establishes the framework and the legislation which puts the meat on the framework. This must be sorted out lest the nation continues to be misinformed and misguided, thereby leaving the politicians to run wild and wreak havoc on the nation and continue their abuse of the people.”
We have been there a long time ago. For decades they (the politicians) have been running “wild” and wreaking “havoc” and continuing “their abuse of the people. After voting for them, (both the PPP and Coalition) it is not the people’s interest that is paramount in parliament. It is their own narrow minded interest that prevails. How do we get them to put “the meat on the framework” without CR? How do we get music out of your favourite constitutional instrument, article 13? Bear in mind that any “meat on framework” has to be done through the National Assembly.
Lincoln cited Tarron Khemraj attack on article 160 as his reason for wanting a new constitution , saying it does not hold “ because the individual’s rights and freedoms (title 1) still await legislation to give meaning”. Same old story of “meat on framework” from Lincoln again. He then goes on to say that nothing prevents the parties from putting a list reflecting the will of the people or holding to account those who are elected to serve. I can’t believe that Lincoln really envision this to be possible in the present constitution.
Where was Lincoln when 14000 signatures to stop the vat on private tuition fees was tossed aside by the Coalition? It was the largest attempt by citizens with support from the opposition to get Govt. to confirm to their wishes and it failed. The constitution dictates that the present bunch of parliamentarians are the parties’ representatives not the people’s representatives-they have no interest in changing that status quo.
Lincoln opined.” What is lacking in our society is vision, commitment, and will to make the constitution work for all. “Wake up Bro! Smell the coffee! Let’s have your vision and see your commitment since you know what is lacking. In Lincoln recent article; “What is it about the constitution that we don’t understand?” in which he critiques Mike Persaud, he rightly alluded to the acting Chief Justice as the supreme interpreter of the constitution.
Can Lewis categorically state why no CJ has been duly confirmed – given that all have been acting in his beloved constitution? Believe it or not! Lincoln found that there is an impeachment clause in Article 94 “Removal of president for violation of constitution for gross misconduct.” Is this all the substance that is written in article 94? How do we begin to initiate this process in light of popular opinion that the president has already violated the constitution in several instances? Or is this yet another of Lincoln’s framework that needs meat to clothe it. Lincoln may need to go back in time to find a dinosaur to produce the amount of meat to clothe the skeletons in his constitutional closet!
Rudolph Singh

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