Senior Reporter
dareece.polo@guardian.co.tt
Progressive Empowerment Party (PDP) leader Watson Duke is once again demanding that Tobago be granted autonomy through constitutional reform.
Duke made the comment during an interview with Guardian Media yesterday, as the National Advisory Committee on Constitutional Reform (NACCR) continues to stage town hall meetings across the country. The committee is inviting members of the public to submit their recommendations for constitutional reform and has so far held talks in Rio Claro, Port-of-Spain, Point Fortin and Sangre Grande.
Asked what the PDP wanted to see in this latest attempt at constitutional reform, Duke reiterated self-governance beyond what was offered in the Tobago Self-Government Bills. He said the limited powers afforded to Tobago to determine their “political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development” were not enough.
“The PNM (People’s National Movement) has been particularly wicked to Tobagonians and now they have come with the ultimate wickedness; dressed up the ward status as if it is freedom and say ‘look, I’m presenting you this’. Let them take that and give dog that. We don’t want that in Tobago and we’re prepared to fight against it.”
He added, “We want our full rights and the right, whether by referendum or by the national assembly, to be able to separate from Trinidad if push comes to shove.”
Meanwhile, the Honesty, Opportunity, Performance and Empowerment (HOPE) party has presented 18 recommendations to the committee.
Political leader Timothy Hamel-Smith presented the party’s recommendations during a media conference at Rosette Heritage House in Port-of-Spain yesterday.
Among its proposals, HOPE wants the president to be elected by the population at the same time there’s a vote for prime minister.
Additionally, it wants to put the president to work by having the official head a fiscal council that should also be enshrined in the Constitution.
“That way, the president has a substantive job because we’re paying substantial money to the president and if you want value for money, we need to put the president to work,” Hamel-Smith said.
Deputy leader (Governance) Louis Lee Sing added, “People see change as a boogeyman. We must be able to embrace change for what it is and what we are proposing is, what we have, there are too many deficiencies in it. If we had an elected president, this would not be an agenda item this evening because the president would not have served the government in many different roles and nobody would have to question the president’s integrity.”
The party also wants the establishment of an economic development and advisory commission, a revamp of the public service, fixed term limits for prime ministers, an attack on corruption and fraud, and the restructuring of the Caribbean Court of Justice.
HOPE also wants the introduction of citizen assemblies, a fixed election date, and adds that the Constitution should address referendums, crossing the floor and recall, a new electoral voting system and a bicameral system of parliament, among other recommendations.
The party also said it does not intend to contest all 41 seats in general elections due next year but is aiming for a number of seats which it believes will prevent any of the two existing major parties from forming a government without them.
Contacted yesterday, NACCR chair Barendra Sinanan, SC, said they were “progressing very nicely” despite the short timeframe remaining to complete their report.
However, Sinanan urged the public to participate in town hall meetings and submit their written proposals. He also appealed to the Opposition to support its report if it is to be enacted.
“Without the assistance and the buy-in of the Opposition, there will be no constitutional reform,” he said.
Addressing the low turnout at town hall meetings, Sinanan said the public is either unaware of what the Constitution entails or is otherwise apathetic.
He said Port-of-Spain meeting may have had the lowest turnout, with about 25 people, but said, “We are not daunted.”