| Public gives Sullivan an earful on reform | | Print | |
| Friday, 04 June 2010 14:03 | |||
 The Consultative Forum took constitutional reform on the road, offering a forum on six islands for residents to share their views on how the next constitution should shape up. Starting with two nights on Providenciales, the forum spent one week hosting meetings on each of the islands including Salt Cay, Grand Turk, South Caicos, North Caicos and Middle Caicos. At each of the events, a large number of residents showed up to share their concerns and ideas with Kate Sullivan, responsible for drafting the new constitution. His Excellency the Gov. Gordon Wetherell has promised the public wide consultation before any new constitution would be formulated, and these meetings signal the beginning of that process. Forum Chairwoman Lillian Misick said the meetings were intended to provide people with a valuable opportunity to participate and share their views on the constitutional and electoral reform. “It is important that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands begin to pay greater heed to the pivotal role that the Constitution plays in their lives,” she said. The Consultative Forum launched the consultation process at its meeting Tuesday, May 25. Following the open discussions, several persons were invited to address the forum, including four former chief ministers, representatives from local community groups and other interested individuals. Sullivan says she will be looking to collect as much information as possible from the public over the next several weeks before she makes her first recommendations. Those recommendations for changes to the 2006 Constitution will then we published so the public can comment. After collecting feedback, Sullivan intends to send out a second round of recommendations for evaluation before she makes her first attempt at drafting changes to the Constitution. This process is expected to occur before the end of the year. Sullivan has said she expects her first drafts to be presented in December. If all goes according to schedule, the process would wrap up in time for elections to be held as promised in July 2011. In addition to the recent open meetings, individuals are being encouraged by Sullivan to submit proposals or ideas to her in written form. Two prominent public figures recently made their submissions to Sullivan — PNP party leader candidate Carlos Simons and Consultative Forum member Sharlene Robinson. Both Simons and Robinson have joined many others to encourage the open debate of the constitution. “Constitutional reform must therefore be debated in every household, by every family, among relatives, neighbors and friends; in political party councils, in church groups, service clubs, and fraternal societies; and yes in the restaurants and barrooms as well,” Simons said. “I urge and encourage such debate. And also I urge and encourage citizens and residents alike to engage with Ms Sullivan wherever and whenever they have access and opportunity to make their views known to her.” Robinson went into great detail on specific reforms she suggests to the 2006 Constitution, but said she is not convinced that anything is innately wrong with the 2006 Constitution: “I believe that the document did not fail us but the custodians of the document.” Clayton Greene, also a candidate for PNP leadership, believes the consultation process is a waste of time. "I think that Britain’s intention is to give us the Constitution that they wish to see us have," he said in a press release June 4. "As such, this present round of consultation is nothing short of a charade." To submit comments on the reform process, send e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail to P.O. Box 68, Grand Turk. Click HERE to read Robinson's full statement. Click HERE to read Simons' full statement. Click HERE to read Greene' full statement. Constitutional and Electoral Reform Process to be completed by the end of 2010
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