Democratic process in action

THE EDITOR: On Sunday afternoon I watched online as the PNM held a special national convention to deal with the party’s submission to the National Advisory Committee on Constitutional Reform, which submitted its report following a lengthy national consultation.

What I saw was a political party led by its executive leadership taking decisions on matters of national importance, not only for today but for the future. The fact that this process and decision were done in full public glare and open to whatever criticism the wider population may find is something the PNM should be congratulated for.

Even if you disagree with the final outcome, we saw a democratic process in action for the benefit of the membership and as a major stakeholder in the national landscape.

Despite taking positions on some key issues, like fixed election dates, gender and sexuality protection under the law, and service commission reform, that I do not agree with, I respect the manner in which the party conducted itself in coming to its positions.

A full presentation was made by Keith Scotland on each point and party committees reported their own findings. The chairman and the political leader both spoke on the issues at hand, as well to give historical context, etc for the need to reform.

Traditional media did a good job, in my opinion, of reporting the positions taken at the convention, but yet again we see the misuse of social media to divide, misinform and distract our population.

It is unfortunate that members of two political parties that did not give their membership the benefit of a similar exercise of educating and contributing to an informed position on this most critical matter chose instead to take to social media platforms to cherry-pick a single announcement as if that was the sum total of the approximately four-hour exercise.

In this case the UNC and the NTA have failed both their memberships and the country.

While much is being made about Dr Rowley’s announcement that the coat of arms will be redesigned to remove Columbus’s three ships and replace them with the steelpan, the criticism rings hollow to me. I see the decision in the light of the steelpan having been made our national musical instrument by law.

I see also the ongoing work of the Statues, Monuments and Signage Committee that is addressing entrenched colonial emblems and monuments that have now been recognised by many to be testaments to colonisers, wagers of genocide and the suppression of black and brown people in this country.

I also see the global move towards the telling of whole truths and the breaking of the colonial shackles that have been a societal anchor for those countries that were once vassal states of European masters.

However, the fact remains that our country’s constitution does not work for us. From the savings clause to the bureaucracy of our public service and service commissions, to the make-up and powers of our Parliament, to the power of the average citizen through referendum, to our final court of appeal, to equality issues for all sectors of society, there are so many issues that deserve our voices and the voices of those who would aspire to leadership in this country.

These are issues that will define our future and they deserve the participation of our major stakeholders.

What we have gotten from the UNC voices and those in the NTA are a distraction from the real issue by focusing on who has the right to change the coat of arms.

We the people deserve more than that.

DANIEL P WILLIAM

Diego Martin