The Proposed new constitution

06.NOV.09

Editor: While discussions are being held on the proposed new constitution, it is rather sad that those who mainly opposed the new proposed constitution have resorted to false information and rumour instead of dealing with the items that they think should not be there.{{more}}

To say that if the new constitution passes that our dollar will be devalued is nothing but propaganda. There are seven OECS countries that use the EC dollar, thus the EC dollar is protected. For no one individual OECS country, regardless of its financial status, can devalue its dollar.

It must be noted that CUBA and Venezuela are different types of republic, where the head of the country is a political figure who is the elected President, whereas for us in SVG, it will be like a transfer from Governor-General to President as the head of State. Thus Ralph Gonsalves will not be president, but Prime Minister.

It is rumoured also that if the new constitution passes that there will be no election. How is that possible, when the proposed new constitution gives a time period when general elections should be held? Under this present constitution the Prime Minister can call general elections whenever he wants.

How laughable and immature it is to say that under the new proposed constitution the Government will take away your houses and that Ralph will become a dictator. The introduction of proportional representation will allow even the opposition to have more persons in the house. The changing of constituency boundaries and increased constituencies were done before under the previous government. Thus I am at a loss as to how this can make Ralph a communist and dictator.

I strongly recommend that we leave the politics out of the constitution debate and let us deal with the items written in the new constitution and vote accordingly if you choose to vote. Remember, SVG belongs to all of us and not just the politicians. Let us act maturely and sensibly in dealing with the constitution.

Thank you.

Kennard King