Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:12 hours 11 min ago
COP: Give people a say on reform
Published: 6 Nov 2009
Political leader of the COP, Winston Dookeran, second right, holds hands with his three deputy political leaders—Timothy Hamel-Smith, left, Robert Mayers, second left, and Prakash Ramadhar—at the Normandie Hotel, St Ann’s, yesterday. Photo: Jennifer Watson
The Congress of the People (COP) is calling for a public referendum on constitution reform rather than a “Manday” reform based on a handshake. Political leader Winston Dookeran made the call yesterday, during a media conference at Normandie Hotel, St Ann’s. This, after Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday met and decided “to work towards agreeing to a new” constitution. They were also at one on an executive president for T&T. Calling it a “Manday constitution,” Dookeran said: “Decisions like this must not be on the basis of a handshake...This was a mockery.
“We do not believe that the leaders of Parliament have the prerogative to make such a decision on behalf of the people.” He added that this must be done with the total support of the people and by way of a referendum or some way of testing the citizens’ opinion. Dookeran said it was a constitution that would empower one person which was contradictory to a democratic system. He said the COP would be embarking on a programme of action which would solicit the voice of the people.
COP STAGES PALACE COUP
COP STAGES PALACE COUP -
COP with the least votes in the last election wants to impose its own constitution on the rest of the country. Under the guise of giving everyone a say COP wants a referendum. This is not part of the constitution and would require changes. The same parties that they are claiming wants to decide now have the constitutional responsibility to implement their request. So we have COP who did not win a seat telling PNM – 25 seats and UNC 15 – seats what to do. Is this a palace coup or civil disobedience? The say consult with the people. What have they been doing all the time? There have been proposals and counter proposals. Many different versions have been proposed, even COP has made proposals. Did they not discuss it with their people? Didn’t PNM discuss Constitutional Reform with its people? Didn’t UNC discuss it with its people? How come we have proposals from all these groups and the NGO’s? Is this a desperate attempt to be relevant? There was the Clarke Draft; there was Ryan involvement and now Ghany. There was the commission holding meetings all over the country. There is an Executive President in the US, this model is well known. Is the president of the US a dictator? To try and frighten people about the proposal is not statesmanlike something that Dookeran claims for himself. It is not good governance which he often calls for. There are checks and balances that were put into the US constitution that restricts its President. An American President can and have been removed after impeachment. As I see COP’s latest strategy two words come to mind, desperate and irrelevant. Is this a Palace COUP or civil disobedience? Has COP overthrown the duly elected Government and Opposition?
Fairplay , 26 PNM & 15 UNC .
Fairplay , 26 PNM & 15 UNC . ATW-Barbados .
THANK YOU
THANK YOU -
Thank you Wiggins for the correction.
Although i do not agree with
Although i do not agree with most of the things Mr.Dookeran has to say he does have a point here. This isn't democracy. Yes Mr. Manning and Mr. Panday are there to make decisions on behalf of the people,sadly, but something as drastic as reforming the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago does need public input. Of course there are disadvantages of using a referendum for example most people are not politically savvy so they wont know the great importance of a constitution. But we could use opinion polls instead. How dare they?? This is totally undemocratic!
HOW COULD IT BE UNDEMOCRATIC
HOW COULD IT BE UNDEMOCRATIC -
1) When it has been discussed for years.
2) When it has been presented by a commission up and down the length and breadth of the country.
3) Are you saying that all the laws passed by the Government and Opposition since Independence without a Referendum were undemocratic?
4) In T&T we do not have an Executive President; to change it laws have to be passed. There is a defined procedure to pass laws in T&T laid down by the constitution. All parties have abided by these laws for decades. Mr Dookeran when he was in NAR and UNC passed laws in this fashion was he being undemocratic then?
5) The laws and constitution of T&T does not cater for a referendum, it never did. Mr Dookeran was never bothered by it when he was in parliament.
6) To change the laws you have to use the same procedure that you are saying is undemocratic to pass the laws. How ridiculous.
7) The laws have to go through a process. The laws are discussed by the various parties PNM, UNC and COP; it is then discussed with the wider community via the Constitution Commission. The Government has to table it, it has to be debated, and it has to be passed by the required majority in both houses of parliament. Are you saying that the Government, The Opposition and The Independents are undemocratic? Who does the Government represent, who does the Opposition Represent and who do the Independents represent.
8) What COP is saying is tantamount to treason; they have surreptitiously discarded the constitution and rule of law. They have accused the Government, the Opposition and Independents including both Speakers of the house and The President of colluding to act against the best interest of the people. They have by their actions brought the Parliament into disrepute and should be hauled before the Privileges Committee. That is undemocratic.
Why consult people now.
Why consult people now. This government has not consulted with anyone about anything. Why would it want to consult now about the most important job Manning will ever hold (let's hope not). Besides, consult with the same idiots who put him there and continue to keep him there. Naaaaaaa. Same difference.
THESE SAME IDIOTS HAVE
THESE SAME IDIOTS HAVE RIGHTS -
Because someone does not agree with you they are idiots. These are the same idiots who built our country. These are the same idiots who pay taxes. These are the same idiots who purchase from your business and make you rich. See how useful idiots are. If there were no idiots around for you to look down on then you would be the idiot. Thank GOD that there are idiots that help you to feel superior, you would not have those supremacist feelings otherwise. The next time you see an idiot give them a hug and say thanks you are good for my ego.