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| PNM leader Keith Rowley: "There can be no referendum that can be more effective than a general election." |
The People's National Movement (PNM) would support a complete change from the Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final court of appeal for Trinidad & Tobago.
PNM leader Keith Rowley told reporters Monday his party would not support a partial change as proposed by the government.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told Parliament last month the government will soon present proposals for the move to the CCJ to handle criminal matters. It's a partial move that would still leave the Privy Council as the country's final court of appeal on civil matters.
Rowley said that's not acceptable to the PNM.
"We call on the Government not to cast its position in stone, especially a position arrived at with such flippancy, designed to replace a headline about travel of an assistant," he said, in reference to expenses for the Prime Minister's sister.
"We will settle for nothing less than a complete break—removing both criminal and civil authority from the Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice and making the CCJ our court of appeal and we would confront every political obstacle between there and here," the opposition leader said.
"Once the bill comes without the albatross that is on the neck of the current proposal, the PNM's support is guaranteed.
"If on the other hand, they choose to go by referendum, the PNM will take full part in it and as aggressively as we can ... would ensure that the population is encouraged to vote 'yes' to the removal of our final court of appeal," he said.
However, he said the PNM does not share the view of the Congress of the People that this is a metter for a referendum. he suggested instead a general election. "There can be no referendum that can be more effective than a general election," he said.
PNM leader Keith Rowley told reporters Monday his party would not support a partial change as proposed by the government.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told Parliament last month the government will soon present proposals for the move to the CCJ to handle criminal matters. It's a partial move that would still leave the Privy Council as the country's final court of appeal on civil matters.
Rowley said that's not acceptable to the PNM.
"We call on the Government not to cast its position in stone, especially a position arrived at with such flippancy, designed to replace a headline about travel of an assistant," he said, in reference to expenses for the Prime Minister's sister.
"We will settle for nothing less than a complete break—removing both criminal and civil authority from the Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice and making the CCJ our court of appeal and we would confront every political obstacle between there and here," the opposition leader said.
"Once the bill comes without the albatross that is on the neck of the current proposal, the PNM's support is guaranteed.
"If on the other hand, they choose to go by referendum, the PNM will take full part in it and as aggressively as we can ... would ensure that the population is encouraged to vote 'yes' to the removal of our final court of appeal," he said.
However, he said the PNM does not share the view of the Congress of the People that this is a metter for a referendum. he suggested instead a general election. "There can be no referendum that can be more effective than a general election," he said.
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