Govt to budget for constitutional reform talks next year

General Secretary of the Alliance For Change (AFC), David Patterson, said on Friday that Government has not put the much anticipated constitutional reforms on the back burner.

In fact, he disclosed that efforts have been taken by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to take the process forward but unfortunately, Cabinet could not have discussed the matter at its last meeting before the PM’s departure for his India tour.

“The Prime Minister, before his departure, had tabled a route forward to Cabinet but it has not been discussed because he is out. The route forward includes public consultations and funding to be included in the 2017 budget to kick start the constitutional reform process,” Patterson disclosed. According to the AFC General Secretary, the document tabled to Cabinet is a comprehensive paper, which addresses the parliamentary process, public consultation process and provides a timeline for the reforms to be executed.

“So (the reforms) are imminent but I don’t want to be the one to divulge all the details. I think that it’s something within the Prime Minister’s domain and when he gets back, I’m sure he will make the public disclosure,” Patterson posited.

In August last year, Government had established a Constitutional Reform Steering Committee, which completed and handed over its report to Prime Minister Nagamootoo back in April.

Constitutional reform was a hot topic during the 2015 General and Regional Elections campaign, with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/AFC coalition promising to undertake the task.

“The Constitution, in its current form, does not serve the best interest of Guyana or its people. Within three months of taking up office, APNU/AFC will appoint a commission to amend the Constitution with the full participation of the people. The new Constitution will put the necessary checks and balances in place to consolidate our ethos of liberal democracy. Freedom of speech, reduction of the power of the President and the Bill of Rights will be enshrined in the document,” read an excerpt from the coalition’s 2015 manifesto.

As part of the reform process, Government had touted major changes to the governance structure, including separate elections to elect a President and National Assembly members; the capping of presidential powers; and changes to the composition of service commissions, among others.

Moreover, the David Granger-led Administration had promised that it would have consultations with civil society and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) before making any constitutional reforms.

However, the AFC General Secretary posited on Friday that the decision will be left to the Opposition whether it wants to listen to the people of Guyana and support the coalition in this process.

“From the AFC’s point of view, we want to convince the people, we want to hear from the people and if the PPP/C wants to ignore what the people have to say, they can do so at their own peril. It is no secret they have no appetite, never showed any appetite for constitutional reform but obviously they never showed any appetite for defeat either, and things have changed. Either they get up and join the bus for progress or they can stay behind shouting and crying wolf.

But we as a party want to engage the people because they are the stakeholders. A small group of politicians should not hold back the entire country’s desire to have constitutional reform and change. So that is how we are approaching it,” Patterson remarked.

He continued that the AFC wants to get feedback and from the grass root level; and as such, would like to go into communities and hear different opinions since any reform to the constitution will affect the people of the country.

The Constitutional Reform Steering Committee that was established will be responsible for effecting the changes to the Constitution when Government finialises its decision on the reforms.

The Committee, which comprises of former Director of Transparency International and Attorney Gino Persaud, Professor Harold Lutchman, former Magsitrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond, and is chaired by Attorney and AFC Executive Member Nigel Hughes, was established by the sub-committee on Parliamentary Affairs reportedly without consultation from the parliamentary Opposition.

In fact, General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee had explained shortly after the Commission was established that his party was not invited to field any representative to the committee. He noted that the party views the persons appointed as “APNU/AFC hacks” and “residents of Office of the President”.

“None of those persons are independent. They are all hacks and employees of the Office of the President in some shape or form. You do not have to even guess about which road they will venture down as it’s clear what their mandate is,” the PPP General Secretary said. Nevertheless, Rohee maintained that the PPP was proud of its accomplishments as far as constitutional reforms piloted back in the 2000s were concerned.