Republic and not sovereign democracy

26.JUNE.09

Editor: As I sat in the “strangers’ gallery” in the house of parliament 28th May, 2009, I listened to Dr. Hamid Ghany give a synopsis of the history of the Caribbean Islands.{{more}} He spoke of the struggle from colonialism to independence; he mentioned that St. Vincent and the Grenadines would be the 4th country in the Caribbean to be called a Republic (if the new Constitution were to be adapted) and congratulated us for such an achievement.

As I searched through my copy of the Constitution Bill, what jumped out at me on page 3 was shocking. We are not referred to as the Republic of St. Vincent and the Grenadines but as a Sovereign Democratic State.

“Bill for an Act to enact a new Constitution for the Sovereign Democratic State of Saint Vincent and The Grenadines.” pg 3 of the proposed new constitution bill.

In my research there are significant differences between being a democratic state and being a Republic state.

Under a democratic state:

Majority rules -there is danger of the tyranny of the majority

There is danger of the protection of the Rights of the majority only

No guaranteed protection of the Rights and freedoms of the minority

Under the Republic State

The law rules-The rule of law

All men are created equal with inalienable and inviolable rights and freedoms

Guaranteed Protection of the Rights and freedoms of all- minority or majority

Is this a deliberate action by the drafters on the advice of the Prime Minister? Did Mr. Ghany fool the Vincentian public in his address in parliament?

In my opinion it is a deliberate action. I have heard for example, that Dr. Gonsalves wants the Preamble to remain the same, so the proposed section of the preamble was taken out from the draft constitution because of one mans’ view. The Proposed section reads:-

“Realize that the maintenance of human dignity requires solemn appreciation that man is endowed by God with certain inalienable rights and freedoms as ideals, including the rights to life, liberty and privacy; the right to have and raise a family; the right to own property; and the Right to the pursuit of just economic rewards for labour which inalienable Right are to be safe guarded.”

Is the constitution to govern the Prime Minister alone? Or is the new constitution to govern the entire nation. It should not be what the Prime Minister wants but what the people want as long as it does not violate the Rights and freedom of the citizens of our nation. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not a one man state, the population is over 100,000. We are often reminded that the proposed now constitution “comes from the bowels of the people” Is that really true? Being a republic guarantees the protection of the Rights and freedom of all whether the minority or majority. So the question still stands are we going to be a Republic State or a sovereign Democratic state? I beg for the former.

Karima Nash