‘Dereliction of duty’

Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has been seeking answers on when Barbadians will have access to the new republican constitution, declaring it was a “dereliction of duty” by the government that the country is still without one two-and-half years after it transitioned from a constitutional monarchy.

As he wrapped up his budget reply on Tuesday evening, Thorne said the country was in a dilemma as it was functioning under what he called a Republican constitution with Westminster content.

“We are a republic with a constitution that became republican only through the theory of presidentialism. In other words, you made the Governor General president, and it has not travelled beyond that. There is still the spirit of Westminster within the Constitution of Barbados,” he said.

In June 2022, a 10-member commission headed by retired judge Christopher Blackman was appointed to advise the government on the formulation of a new constitution. The broad-based panel was mandated to examine, consider and enquire into the supreme law of the land and all other related laws and matters, for the development and enactment of a new constitution.

It was also required to make recommendations to the government on the reforms that would meet the circumstances of a 21st-century Barbados and promote peace, order, and good governance.

The commission held a series of public consultations at home and abroad and according to a Government Information Service statement issued in September 2023, the life of the commission was extended until April 2024.

But Thorne questioned whether the consultations were sufficiently publicised, and urged the government not to ambush citizens with the new Constitution but to give adequate time for a full review of the document

“The public awaits this constitution and so do I, and so do all free men who are interested in justice. When will it come? What is its content? Will the public hear of its content before you bring it? Or will you come and drop it in Parliament one day and use your numbers, your overwhelming numbers to impose it, to foist it upon the people of Barbados?

“Tell us its content, Give us a week or two to read it before we can say yeah or nay,” Thorne said.

(SD)