Vincentians reject new Constitution

 

The result of the historic referendum held yesterday means Dr Ralph Gonsalves' and his government will have to keep the Queen as the country's Head of State for now. (File photo)

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, November 26, 2009 - The people of St Vincent and the Grenadines have told their government a firm "no" to a proposed new Constitution.

The result of the historic referendum held yesterday means Dr Ralph Gonsalves' and his government will have to keep the Queen as the country's Head of State for now.

In yesterday's vote, 55.64 percent of those who cast ballots voted against replacing the old Constitution, handed down at independence in 1979, with a new one. The 43.13 percent who supported the move was far less than the 66.67 percent the Unity Labour Party (ULP) government needed to effect change.

A total of 97,751 persons were eligible to cast ballots in the referendum. Of that number, 29,019 voted for, while 22,493 voted against it.

The result is a victory for the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) which launched a "Vote No" campaign to counter the "Yes Vote" launched by the government.

While the NDP supported St Vincent and the Grenadines becoming a Republic and doing away with the British Head of State, it opposed the proposed Constitution for several reasons, including that it did not reduce the powers of the prime minister enough and that it should give citizens, and not Parliament, the power to elect the president.

The public's rejection of the new Constitution is also being seen as an indication of how people feel about the government.

Several commentators have expressed the view that people voted along party lines in the referendum and it should send a signal to the current administration.

Baptiste of the Thusian Institute for Religious Liberty which joined with the NDP in campaigning against the proposed constitution said the results may strongly suggest that a change of administration is around the corner.
"It says the people did not want the (Constitution) Bill but it may also be saying that they no longer want the ULP," she said.

Yesterday's poll followed six years of public discussions and parliamentary debate on the draft document. There were no reports of any major problems on the day.