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MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE
His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Arthur N.R.Robinson received a delegation from the Constitution Reform Forum on Monday 25th. November. The delegation comprised Mr. Dennis Pantin, Mr. Nicolai Mitchell, Ms. Sheilah Solomon and Ms. Chantal Esdelle.
The delegation briefed His Excellency on the non-partisan approach which it has consistently adopted in order to build bridges with both civil society organizations and political parties. The Constitution Reform Forum has accordingly been able to host discussions on a wide variety of concerns, not all of which have yet been resolved by consensus.
Nevertheless, the Forum has identified widespread public support for expanding the role of civil society in the processes of governance at central and local levels as a sine qua non of building a more unified and focused nation, and more transparent and accountable government.
Two mechanisms in particular have received support, namely;
• enlarging the scope, functions and resources of Local Government
Authorities – ideally on a non-partisan basis – and increasing
their collaboration with civil society organizations in each region e.g
religious, sport and cultural organizations, NGOs, private sector, credit
and trade unions etc.;
• enlarging the Senate to serve as a National Oversight Body in
relation to, for example, appointments to and operations of State Boards
(including the EBC), regulations to govern the operations of political
parties, management of the national heritage (physical and cultural),
the appropriate size of the national debt etc. Membership should include
representatives elected by a range of civil society organizations as well
as those selected by the political parties and the President.
Notably, Local Authorities should be represented (by both political and civil society groups) to ensure that national development is regionally equitable.
The President congratulated the group on the nationally important enterprise which it has undertaken. He expressed his unqualified support for the non-partisan approach adopted by the CRF and for its emphasis on enlarging the role of civil society organizations in the governance process.
In particular, the President emphasized that the process by which Constitutional Reform is achieved is of critical importance. The process itself must be perceived as serving all national interests.
In that connection, the CRF proposes that the Constitution Reform process should be controlled by a Civil Society Secretariat, with bi-partisan endorsement and logistical support from Parliament. Funding should be sought, transparently, from both public and private sources.
The President was also briefed on the eagerness expressed by students and youth organizations to become more active participants in the Constitution Reform process. He promised to consider a request to address a National Youth Forum in late January in order to share his lifelong experience and perspectives with them.
The CRF expressed its warm appreciation of the opportunity to discuss these matters with the President.
Monday, 25 November 2002
