A need to fully study and analyse OECS constitutions, says PM Douglas

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, DECEMBER 2ND 2009 (CUOPM) - St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas says the results of the referendum in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last week are an indication that there is need to fully study and analyse the existing constitutions of the members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) before any attempt is made to change them.

“We have a serious situation in St. Kitts and Nevis with our constitution. A lot of the problems that we have experienced between St. Kitts and Nevis and even the problems we are experiencing now (as they relate to the constituency boundaries and the general elections) go back to the type of constitution that we have,” he said.

But Douglas, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC)’s Peter Richards during an interview in Port of Span, Trinidad where he attended the just concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting that unlike his counterpart in St. Vincent and the Grenadines he was not pushing for constitutional reform “at this time” preferring instead, to look at electoral reform.

“And a lot of the electoral reforms that we could have pursued were dependent upon constitutional reform. But it is not easy to change the constitution and so what we have been seeking to in St. Kitts and Nevis over the years is to have confidence measures introduced to build a capacity of our people to appreciate and be better able to study the constitution and make changes if they have to,” he said.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government fell far short of the 66.7 percent required to change the 30 year-old constitution that had been handed down to the island when it gained political independence from Britain.
The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), which had mounted a “Vote No” campaign, said it was pleased that 55.6 per cent of the electorate had rejected the document.