Constitutional Reform Committee lands in Portland

PORT ANTONIO, Portland:

Dr David Henry, a member of the Constitutional Reform Committee, has suggested that there should be a limit to the number of parliamentarians who are allowed to become ministers of government to allow for direct focus on their key function.

Henry made comments at the town hall meeting hosted by the committee at the Errol Flynn marina in Portland on Wednesday.

The ongoing series of consultations among committee members and the public, about moving the country to a state of republic, has also involved discussions on the separation of the role of minister of government from that of member of parliament.

Under the current bicameral system of government, ministers are drawn from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Henry referenced a 1994 memorandum by former Prime Minister Michael Manley, that members should be able to concentrate virtually full time on one job or the other.

The document further noted that it was important that whoever performs either or both functions should be the direct product of the electoral process.

The issue was among several which engaged residents, including the question of voting rights for members of the diaspora.

The committee has responded that it is in fact discussing the issue of Jamaican nationals residing overseas, including those in Commonwealth countries, being granted the right to vote in local elections.

The decision comes against the background of concerns raised at the town hall meeting in Port Antonio by residents.

But Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte, who addressed the small gathering, reminded persons that it would be a learning process for both the committee and wider public, and a journey.

“And so far it has been an interesting journey. It is a journey which mandates consultations, like this one. Not only are we informing you about what we are doing, but we are also hearing from you – taking your input. It’s a teach-and-learn engagement,” the minister said.

She added, “It is not surprising to me that many Jamaicans are unfamiliar with the Constitution, but it is sad, because the truth is that it is the supreme law of the land. It sets the framework for our governance arrangements. And many Jamaicans do not know what that governance arrangement looks like. Some people don’t even know that the division of the island into constituencies is something that is in the Constitution.

“The government is reforming the constitution in phases, because the work of reform is complex. When we got our 60th anniversary of independence in 2022, we were invited to reflect as a nation on the journey we have taken so far and the work that remains to be done. Out of that reflection the decision to move forward with the change from having the king of England as our head of state, to putting in our own head of state in the office of president for a republic of Jamaica, took on new life.”