CRC member frustrated with slow pace of public education programme

 

A member of the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) has expressed frustration with the government over the slow pace of implementing a public education programme.

 

Dr. Nadeen Spence, who sits on the committee as a civil society representative, says public education is important for citizens to be informed about the process of Jamaica becoming a republic and creating a new Constitution.

 

Dr. Spence says while the Committee is desirous of an education campaign, it is not its job to plan same. 

 

"There have been minutes, for example, where we discuss nothing else but the need for public education. But we can't do the work. I am the chair of the public engagement committee. All we can do is make our request clear. I know I've made more than one presentation on what our public engagement strategy ought to do, what our public communication should be, who we should be partnering with, what are some of the things that we need to do. 

 

"I know I've made presentations on that that have been accepted as the strategy. I know how we should go about it. But then there comes the matter of a budget. There comes the matter of people to do the work. There comes the matter of making sure that the technical part of it gets done. And that is up to the public servants in the ministry headed by the permanent secretary," Dr. Spence sought to explain.   

 

Anti-corruption watchdog National Integrity Action has called for a year-long education campaign on constitutional reform.

 

It said Jamaicans need to know the positive and negative aspects of constitutional reform in order to make an informed choice about whether they will agree to it or not.