Despite criticisms that the Government was rushing it, T&T may have a new Constitution by the end of this year. But Tobagonians are protesting that the issue of internal self-government for the island was not addressed in the draft report. They criticised the commission’s explanation that it was the wish of Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London.
An independent commission should not take instructions from politicians, said Reginald Dumas, who served as head of the public service under previous administrations. Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar spoke of the new Constitution to Tobagonians at a national consultation on the draft report of the Constitution Reform Commission at Signal Hill Secondary School, Tobago, on Monday.
He and members of the commission and a team of lawyers visited the island to hear the views of citizens on the recommendations in the report, which were arrived at after 17 national consultations across T&T. Responding to questions from participants on what was wrong with the existing Constitution, Ramadhar, addressing about 50 people, said: “Constitutional reform has been spoken about for so long, maybe one or two generations.
“We intend to fulfil it in this (parliamentary) term. We have been criticised for rushing it. But the matters raised are nothing new. “The time for action is now. We are hoping to achieve it this year.” Ramadhar said the final consultation would be held at the Paria Suites Hotel today and the commission hoped to have all responses to the draft report in by Friday. The commission would complete a revisiting of the report by next Wednesday, after which it would be presented to Cabinet and then laid in Parliament, he said.
Dumas, former PNM MP Eudine Job, and several other citizens who attended the consultation expressed their dissatisfaction and disappointment over the exclusion of the issue of internal self-government from the report. Ramadhar repeatedly explained that in so doing, the commission was simply following the wishes of London. He said in March last year, the commission visited London and he made it clear the issue of internal self-government for Tobago should not be embroiled in the constitutional reform process.
The THA had already begun the process of internal self-government and it would be undermined if interfered with, Ramadhar said. He said it was out of respect for the authority of the island that the commission decided to leave out the issue of Tobago’s internal self-government. But Dumas said he was dissatisfied. An independent commission should not take instructions from politicians, he said.
He added: “It seems the commission has acceded to the desires of the Chief Secretary. That can’t be the function of an independent commission to take instructions from politicians, whoever they may be. “I can’t believe your mandate included not looking at the THA Act. The THA has its views but you can’t accede to the wishes of every politician. “You can’t expect people to have confidence in the report with that kind of language.”
Job said she was disappointed. “I am very disappointed the Constitution of T&T would totally ignore the needs of Tobagonian people based on something the Chief Secretary said,” she complained. She added: “We don’t want future amendments. We want the issue to be discussed now. What will the final document say for the people of Tobago? “You are telling us absolutely no consideration was given to how we feel. The Constitution affects every single person and their rights. It has nothing to do with politicians.”
Other participants expressed different views. Some felt there was very little mention of Tobago in the present Constitution and hence there was nothing to reform. Others expressed complete mistrust of the Government’s attempt at constitutional reform and called for complete secession of Tobago from Trinidad. And others, while approving of some the report’s recommendations, were concerned about aspects which seemed to question the supremacy of God in the existing Constitution.
London could not be reached for comment yesterday.