ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA – Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas has called on all Grenadians to participate in public consultations to review Grenada’s draft Constitution.
“This is not a partisan or political issue. This is about Grenada and we must ensure we put in place a constitution that we all can be proud of,” the Prime Minister told the launch of the public consultation process Friday morning at the Grenada Trade Center.
He called on all organisations, community groups and individuals to use the opportunity of the consultative process to influence the new constitution which “should reflect what we perceive as the important tenets of our tri-island state”.
The Grenadian leader said urged his countrymen to increase their awareness of the importance of the constitution and its impact on their lives.
“This document is the supreme law of the land. It tells us what our rights are and outlines our responsibilities. It provides a framework for how we treat with each other and with our institutions,” the Prime Minister told the launch ceremony this morning.
He said that today’s launch is not the “end of the road” but the continuation of a process that started more than a decade ago. It will be led by Professor Randy Mc Intosh, a lecturer in law at the University of the West Indies and a former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Cave Hill Campus.
Professor Mc Intosh was also intimately involved in prior consultations, having served as Deputy Chairman of the 2002 Grenada Constitution Review Commission.
The activity has received bipartisan support with Opposition Senator Dwight Horsford giving his support to the draft constitution.
Based on case recent rulings of the Grenada and Caribbean justice systems in matters involving barbaric and inhumane criminal activities against humanity, specifically in Grenada, I honestly do not think those officials selected to chair and consult on the constitution are objective and qualified enough to lead and recommend any review, change or ratification to our constitution. The voice of the poor, unrepresented and underrepresented would never be heard. Political affiliations, economic abilities, social connections---would always continue to be the decision of the day. Some of these guys are so norrow-minded and subjected to the Privy Counsel miseducation and Caribbean mentality that no ratification or change to the constitution would ever truly be influenced and/or reflect the true nature of the masses---the poor and vulnerable which our constituion is mostly geared to protect. Our constitution needs to be first addressed at the local and school level. At no time throughout my school years have our teachers been asked to incorporate our constituion into the education curriculum---especially civics---history of our country. And I am talking about pre-primary through high school. Any review, ratification or change to our constitution would be a flaw---the people must first be given access and educated on the principles of our constitution. It's time you the elitists, inteligencia, political power house, socially connected and legal minds stop making decisions in your favor and against the people. Let's embark upon a dialogue. Let's give the poor and uneducated a chance to hear, read and understand what our constitution is all about. You guys have hidden it too long form our great great grandparents, great grandparents, grandparent, parents, us and our children. Give us the opportunity to understand and help our children and their children to comprenhend it before you socal quasi-know it all legal minds do anything to it. Let's discuss it on the communal/townhall levels/meetings and in our schools. Give our children and the laymen on the street to understand what you are talking about. It's been too long since we have been left out of the equation. Peace Minister Maurice Bishop gave us Popular Education because he wanted to ensure every Grenadian had access to education. That was FREEDOM to the young and poor. He meant for us to have the ability and privilege to particiapte in the political, social, educational, economical and legal processes of our country. Please give the people a chance to learn about it first. Don't make those critical decisions for us. Democracy is all about engagement. Not the few making decisions for the masses.
