UNC hammers away at draft constitution

Basdeo Panday made a strong pitch to carefully consider constitutional reform and guard against allowing Patrick Manning becoming Trinidad and Tobago's executive president without the consent of voters.

Speaking at a political meeting Monday night the political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) warned against complacency on the issue and even suggested that the constitutional issue is more important than crime because of the implications for the nation's freedom and democracy.

Panday apologized to supporters for dealing with such a complex issue but explained that they must clearly understand how dangerous the draft constitution document really is. And he also warned his own parliamentarians about contemplating support for it.

"When this constitution becomes law, the Prime Minister becomes the Executive President until there is a general election," he said.

That would hand Manning greater powers, which he could use to erode all the freedoms that are now taken for granted, Panday explained.

He also criticised the new document for its lack of safeguards to ensure the separation of powers and for protecting the independence of the Police Service and the Judiciary.

He said it is the executive president who would have the power to call an election but the document does not set any time limit for the head of state to step down. "We are in agreement with the concept of an executive president," Panday said. "But he must be elected by the people and he must serve only two terms."

Panday said that the current document provides for the executive president to be selected in a general election from persons selected by the ruling party.

"If the PNM gets a constitutional majority in Parliament then this document becomes law and Manning automatically becomes the Executive President...The people can do nothing because the Constitution does not contain mechanisms to empower the people to force the government to act," Panday said.

He said his party supports reform because the new constitution, like the existing one, does not actually empower the people. "The people shouldn't only have rights in writing," he said.

Panday explained why he feels the issue of constitutional reform is more important than discussions on crime, health and other issues facing the nation. He said "the holes" in the current document account for many of the root causes of these problems.