Golding again takes issue with constitutional reform process

By Halshane Burke    

 

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has restated the parliamentary opposition's objection to the proposed amendments to the Constitution.

 

A Joint Select Committee of Parliament is due to scrutinise the proposed amendments.

 

Mr. Golding said, while he agrees with the need for constitutional reform, he has misgivings about how the government is managing the process.

 

He has restated his call for full de-colonisation rather than what he terms the current piecemeal approach.

 

Mr. Golding cited the proposed approach to appointing a president among his concerns. 

 

"They effectively want to institute the system where the Prime Minister can, through various steps that they will control, appoint the President of the country. I don't support that. The President has a critical role. It's not just a ceremonial President. It's a ceremonial plus, and the 'plus' is very important. The President has a say in critical appointments for important offices of state, and the President must be somebody that enjoys the trust and confidence of both sides in Parliament and the wider society. It cannot be that whoever the Prime Minister is of the day can effectively appoint the President through that Prime Minister's majority in Parliament. No," he contended. 

 

In addition, the Opposition Leader said he will not tolerate any attempt to dilute the role of the parliamentary opposition in the governance process. 

 

"They also want to water down the power of the opposition in the Senate by reducing the number of senators or the percentage of senators that the opposition appoints, which is the most important blocker in the Constitution to the tyranny of the majority. We will not engage. We will not allow that to take place," he pledged. 

 

Mr. Golding was addressing party supporters in Manchester earlier this week.