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12/1/2016 
FIRST REFERENDUM SINCE INDEPENDENCE IS CAUSE FOR CELEBR...  
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell says the country should be celebrating the fact that a referendum on the constitution has been held for the first time since independence was attained in 1974. Mitchell was speaking in the wake of opposition inspired comments suggesting celebration after none of the seven proposed bills achieved a two-thirds majority. Mitchell’s New National Party controls all 15 seats in the House of Representatives after Grenadians voted to remove the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from government nearly four years ago. “The only celebration we should have in this is the fact that we brought in for the first time and initiative that has never been attempted .Only thing I would have been celebrating is the fact that we have started a process,” Mitchell said during Tuesday’s post cabinet news briefing. “So I think history would record during the period of my term in government the fact that we have started a process of looking and attempting to change our constitution,” he added. Opposition surrogates spearheaded a NO campaign by encouraging voters to vote against all seven bills. One of the Bills would have given the opposition representation on an Election and Boundaries Commission, which was supposed to have replaced the current Parliamentary Elections Office. “How do I celebrate when we have a constitution that says the governor general is appointed on recommendation of the prime minister?” the prime minister asked. “The governor general then turns around and appoints the supervisor of elections. He turns around and is accountable to the governor general and appoints all presiding officers, poll clerks and everything that exists in an election period. Nothing about consulting an opposition,” he noted. Another bill, if passed, would have guaranteed a leader of the opposition in the parliament once one party wins all 15 seats in a general election. Yet another bill, seen as favouring the opposition, would have allowed Parliament to set the date for general elections. The current constitution gives the prime minister the power to call an election anytime he wants. “So I am in a position that the system we have decides for us that the influence of the government of the day can be unnecessarily too much. Who has lost?” Mitchell asked. “If you are thinking numbers and gain, you would have to say Keith Mitchell has gained if that is your concept. That is not my concept. I have gained nothing. So those who are celebrating they are celebrating the gain of somebody else and this is quite fascinating,” he concluded. Source: Caribbean News Now
 

 


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FIRST REFERENDUM SINCE INDEPENDENCE IS CAUSE FOR CELEBR...  
Stallion, you right in your own understanding. However, if politics in Grenada and the Caribbean region was practiced in an objective and fair manner, then we would not need to have international observers. Simultaneously, if the NDC and NNP have not acted irrationally by firing civil workers on account of their political affiliation, then it would not be left for the government in power to appoint governor and supervisor of elections. Once again, currently, those individuals don't support the interest of the people, are bias and likely to rule in favor of who appointed them. These officials should be elected through the ballot.
10By: The Observer
12/31/2016 11:03:35 PM
regardless of whomever is the supervisor of elections the votes must still be counted and monitored by both sides of the election. so i don't see how the supervisor of elections can change the outcome. the opposition ndc if they want to be in power they need to clean house. get fresh new blood and offer alternatives to the nnp. far too often we criticize and cannot offer something better.
01By: stallion
12/10/2016 7:52:16 AM
yes i agree. point taken.
By: stallion
1/5/2017 11:39:38 AM
Bro. Stallion,The observor thinks you're misiing the point that he's making here. What we have observed in the African nations where the constitutions were changed: a suppression of the voice of reason, freedom of opinions, speech, enforcement of the status quo and a continuation of the social, political and economical order. In reference to the governor general and supervisor of elections appointments: here's my alternative recommendation: let the people decide through the electoral procesd who should represent them as governor. At the same token, let the people elect through similar ptocess.
By: The observer
12/31/2016 5:33:00 AM
Observer, your comments about the SOE have a lot of merit
21By: spice farmer
12/5/2016 3:04:21 PM
There's a lot wrong with changing the constitution. The PM reminds me of the the African presidents of Zimbabwe, Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. Yes, they all sought to/changed their country constitutions in order to tip the political scales in their favor. We aught to remember that he who holds the big stick, holds power. What im getting at here is the fact that PM Michell gets to appoint the governor general. The governor general in turn appoints the supervisor of elections. The supervisor then determines who should/should not work the polls. These arrangements are conflicts of interests. The scale would always tip in favor of he who appoints these people, especially in a state where one's daily bread or survival depends on his/her political affilliation. The governor And Keith Mitchell should not have anything to do with the selection of the SOE. In fact, the SOE should be on the ballot as any other person (s) seeking political office. Do Greadians really believe the governor and SOE would remain objective and oppose KEITH MITCHELL in any way? I'm just an observer.
41By: The observer
12/2/2016 8:13:59 PM
Mr The Observer ,over the years we have put forward different aspects of politics for the way forward in grenada be they that of the Nnp or the Ndc that being said we are Democrats who aspire to see our country and our politicans lead us as leaders of positive political leaders in grenada but listensing to our current P.M. and his method or brand of democracy in grenada and one must say that it has the hallmark of that which is in part practice in some of the Africans countries that you mention in your post and one has to be concern as to the way forward for Grenada and our people under this P.M. and his intended master plan.
By: gabe
12/5/2016 9:58:22 AM