Commissioners stand firm

(CNS): Despite the damning public criticism of the members of the Constitutional Commission by the country's leader, the commissioners will be going ahead with their public meetings in order to continue their research into how government and the constitution are working, how politicians are advised and what changes people want to see, if any, to the constitution to achieve the goal of good governance. Although Premier McKeeva Bush, derided comments made by Wil Pineau and Julene Banks about the advisory district council law and the current North Side advisory council, the team is starting its public meetings in that district as planned, unperturbed by the comments.

So far, the commissioners have not responded publicly to Bush's criticisms but say they have written to the governor and will make that correspondence public shortly.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly last month, Bush said their poor performance was embarrassing as they had “gotten so far adrift” from their “real role”. He accused them of misusing their position and trying to influence public opinion.

The premier said he had asked the governor to speak with the commissioners and he was encouraging them to speak with the attorney general to be better “schooled in their role and functions” as he accused them of trying to frustrate his administration. Bush was particularly angry about the commission's comments regarding the law recently passed by government on the make-up of advisory district councils, which provides for the councils to be appointed by government. The commissioners said that the existing district council in North Side, which was elected by constituents, was closer to what had been envisioned by the commission.

However, Bush criticised the commission's goal to canvas public opinion and said it was a delicate undertaking for a body such as a Constitutional Commission and that their comments were "blatantly partisan”. He said they were indicating their support for the MLA for North Side while opposing the UDP government and were encouraging the people to adopt the same view.

Unperturbed by Bush’s accusations, the commissioners will be starting the series of public meetings in North Side on Thursday evening at the civic centre. The commissioners want to engage the wider community in each district in public discussions on all constitutional matters. The commissioners say the meetings will allow members of the public to ask questions about, and gain a better understanding of, the constitution as a document that affects their daily lives.

“The public is encouraged to exercise their freedom to become better informed and more involved in the development of constitutional matters. Every voice is valuable in the interpretation of constitutional advancements,” the constitutional officials said in a release.

Meeting dates and times have been confirmed in the following districts:
Thursday, 7 April, 7-9pm, North Side Civic Centre
Thursday, 14 April, 7-9pm, East End Civic Centre
Thursday, 5 May, 7-9pm, Bodden Town Civic Centre
Thursday, 19 May, 7-9pm, South Sound Civic Centre
Meetings are planned for the districts of West Bay and the Sister Islands in June.

For more information visit the Constitutional Commission website.