Former Oropouche West MP Mickela Panday says the proposed runoff vote in the controversial Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2014 is a scheme by the Government to continue the trend of racial voting. Describing the bill as an elaborate ruse to hoodwink the public, she said genuine reform was never its intention. At the Movement for Social Justice’s (MSJ) Constitutional Reform Bill forum on Wednesday, Panday endorsed proportional representation as an alternative.
She said the current first-past-the-post voting system already excluded minority representation in Parliament and the runoff vote does nothing to change this, but proportional representation would allow the wider population to be represented. “The proposal for runoff is therefore nothing but a ruse to escape the issue of proportional representation, because they fear that proportional representation will negate the tendency towards racial and ethnic voting, which has divided our society historically over the years,” Panday said
She said the bill narrowed citizens’ voting options and challenged the Government to explain how it would increase democracy. “How does this deepen our democracy when you are taking choice away from the people?” she asked “You are in fact forcing them to choose between two parties, neither of which they want. “Such a system would only serve to do the opposite and further entrench ethnic voting in our already polarised country.”
Speaking on the proposed fixed election date, Panday said the Government did not consider a government being removed before its five-year term ends. She said a fixed date for elections would only work under a republican form of government and not the Westminster system T&T follows. She also suggested that Cabinet members should not be MPs and Parliament should include investigating and monitoring committees.
Public unrest possible
Another speaker, attorney Judy Kublalsingh, said because the bill could diminish citizens’ power, it might lead to public unrest. “When our systems fail us and we have no say in the decision-making process, and we have unscrupulous politicians with their own agendas...we are forced to resort to spectacular forms of politics ourselves. “Actions on the ground, burning tyres, marching through the streets, blocking tractors and the ultimate protest action, the hunger strike.
“These are the symptoms of powerlessness and at the same time, conversely, indicators of how powerful we are as a people,” she said. She said nothing was wrong with setting term limits for prime ministers, but questioned its relevance in empowering people. She said the proposed amendments added little substance to the electorate, as they were devised to give the impression that the Government was making a bold move to empower the people.
