TO ALL
CIVIC
SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS,
POLITICAL PARTIES
AND KEY INDIVIDUALS FROM ACADEMIC, LABOUR, BUSINESS,
JOURNALISM, OTHER INTEREST GROUPS
___________________________“The Road to Constitutional Reform: Towards
a more Just and Equitable Society”
Several recent incidents should have revealed to us all the
dangers of our current constitution. The most prominent have been the
two open President and the Prime Minister conflicts: first, over the PM’s
instruction to the President to fire two Tobago NAR Senators and second,
his recent instruction to appoint seven losing candidates as
Senators/Ministers.
Whichever ‘side’ of the divide you
support, it should have crossed your mind that the problem may lie in
the Constitution itself. Moreover, we have still outstanding charges of
voter-padding and tampering with the electoral process and the EBC.
To this we can add the Chief Justice’s
charges of executive interference and the Attorney General’s open
counter-attacks; the illegal paving of the Savannah; the signing away of
two new LNG contracts under conditions of secrecy and with 10 years tax
holidays on the first LNG plant; collapse of the health service and
education system including absence of treatment facilities for cancer
patients while billions are spent on a new airport and now on an arch
costing a reported $50 million!
Underlying all of this, and adding to the
tension, are the incitement of racial conflict in the media and letters.
With our next door neighbour, Guyana, simmering and with irresponsible
forces seeking to ignite racial flames in Trinidad and Tobago, there is
urgent need for the silent majority of sensible, decent-minded citizens
to make their voices heard above the din of noise and heat generated by
protagonists of racial conflict. It would be foolish to simply bury our
heads in the sand. We have problems. These can be solved, but they
require anticipatory action and a democratic system of governance that
routinely addresses, reviews and seeks to resolve conflicts before they
blow up in our faces. We can think of no other way to move Trinidad and
Tobago to a differing path – marked by reduced crime, social/racial
tension, and full employment and social equity than by getting the
society to sit down collectively including (political parties) and
frankly address its concerns, fears and hopes. In this way we will all
be clearer on the demands of a plural society and the need to craft a
Constitution rooted in this reality rather than simplistic borrowing the
‘Westminister’ model from another place and time.
As a result a group of us have held several meetings including a
few public for a to discuss constitutional reform. In our judgement the
country needs to sit down and decide how to anticipate and resolve
conflicts and treats even if only perceived. Moreover, we need to
address some of the fundamental concerns of the marginalized groups in
the society including young people particularly youth at risk and
address all forms of discrimination whether based on age, gender, race,
class, religion or other demarcations. AS A RESULT, WE INVITE YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THE YOUR
ORGANISATION TO THE FORMAL LAUNCH OF A CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT - SATURDAY 28 APRIL 2001 – LA JOYA COMPLEX, CUREPE AT 3:00
P.M.-
At this point we are not asking you, or your organization, to
commit to the constitutional reform movement although we know that
ultimately CONSTITUTION REFORM
CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT YOUR PARTICIPATION. As we see it,
the meeting will achieve two main objectives. First, it will provide an
opportunity for all citizens who are persuaded to the need for
Constitutional reform to make common cause. In other words, we do not
think that those of us who have been involved in the initial meetings
exhaust the universe of individuals and organizations who share a
similar concern, even if we may differ on the particulars of the reform
required. This formal launch will therefore permit all such individuals
and organizations to establish contact with each other and to initiate a
sustained dialogue. Second, we hope to persuade others to the necessity
of constitution reform. We are not deterred by the fact that the
political elites and their business financiers are unlikely to wish
constitution reform. We understand that if the body politic moves, the
tail – which this elite represents – will have not choice but to wag
in the same direction. Our focus therefore is on the majority of country
not the miniscule political elite. You, and your organization, are an
integral part of that body politic. You are important. Your action can
count. We need your advice and counsel. The issues we
plan to discuss at the launch include:
Submitted
by the committee members delegated by the original organizations who
came together to discuss Constitutional Reform: Stephen Thomas –PSA
David Abdulah – OWTU
Svenn Miki Grant- UNIGEM Dennis Pantin – UWI
Lenus Charles - TTAVC
Yvette Williams - WOTT back to Media Releases
|
