Protesters opposed to the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2014 will gather for a second week outside Parliament today as they try to sway members of Senate not to vote for the controversial legislation. The bill is expected to be debated in the Senate on August 26. Unlike last week, government supporters are not expected outside Parliament. Head of the non-governmental organisation, Fixin T&T, Kirk Waithe said yesterday the protest would start from 9 am and would include members from the WorkingWomen group, led by Dr Merle Hodge, and Democracy Watch. He said he had also contacted trade unions to support the initiative. “This is not a Fixin T&T thing. This is about the people rising up to protect their Constitution. We are outside Parliament from 4 pm today (Monday) and tomorrow we are outside from 9 am as the Senate starts. The bill will be read into the Order Paper,” Waithe said.
He urged citizens to come out and support the movement. “If we won’t come out and stand up to protect our most sacred constitutional right what does that say about us?” Waithe asked. “We are in the process of compiling a list. We expect there will be members from various organisations.” He said a large portion of the citizenry was not aware of the negative ramifications of the bill. “The Government has played this absolutely brilliantly because of the timing and the speed with which it is being done. Most of the people don’t have a full appreciation of what is happening. “No government must be allowed to interfere with the Constitution or to alter the way in which we vote without first having comprehensive consultation with the people. This is the most dangerous assault on the people in the nation’s history,” Waithe said. He said today’s protest was not about party or politics. “We call on people from all walks to join us to protect our country. This bill is being passed for the wrong reasons and we must band together to protect the public purse,” Waithe added.
He said campaign finance and public procurement legislation must be passed. Several independent senators have said they would not be bullied into voting either for or against the bill. The Government needs at least one Independent Senator’s vote to pass the legislation. Government has 16 senators, while the Opposition PNM has six and the Independent bench nine.
Motion to stop bill coming
Meanwhile, former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said he has started drafting a constitutional motion to challenge the passage of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2014. Maharaj, who has vowed to take the matter all the way to the Privy Council, said he would do everything possible to wage a legal war on the Government and was awaiting the opinion of an English QC before filing the motion. “I believe this is an attack on the people of T&T, the worst in our nation’s history. This fight is not about party, it is about governance. The party that wins will not repeal this because it will serve their interest,” Maharaj said. He added that it was not “democratically wise” for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to ignore the cries of the people. “She has always said the voice of the people is the voice of God. The Prime Minister must listen to the voice of the people, otherwise the people will make her feel their wrath,” Maharaj said. He added that the bill was a ploy to prevent the vote from being split.