PM: Constitution consultations delayed to next year

THE Prime Minister has said a series of public consultations on constitutional reform that was due to start in November will now be held at an unspecified future date, early next year.

Dr Rowley made a statement in the House of Representatives on September 20.

He used the occasion to lay a report on a series of pre-consultation town meetings held by the Committee on Constitutional Reform towards formulating the terms of reference of the eventual consultation exercise.

Rowley said the committee, chaired by former speaker Barendra Sinanan, SC, had held nationwide meetings and received voluminous correspondence since being appointed by Cabinet on January 25. Since the Cabinet's receipt of the report, We The People, on August 2, two decisions had been taken, he said.

Firstly, on August 8 Cabinet extended the committee's life to December 31.

"This extension was mainly for the purpose of furthering the improvement in national education on the contents of our national Constitution.

"To this end, some members of the committee have already appeared on national television and engaged in useful discussions which benefited the public in understanding the content and nuances of this fundamental document which we commonly refer to as the Constitution."

Secondly, the committee itself recommended the detailed national consultation process should be held "a little bit later" than November, the PM said.

He cited two reasons: "The availability or unavailability of members of the committee to participate in the process, and the requirement of more time to advance public education.

"The Government accepts this recommendation and is hereby laying the report in this honourable House today as it postpones the national consultation to a date to be fixed early in the new year." Rowley thanked the committee members for giving their time and expertise towards advancing this "very timely, necessary and useful exercise."