The ongoing constitutional reform process is once again showing liberals to be what they are: a joke and the enemies of the people.
During the process, we have had a whole host of liberals and liberal organisations coming out and saying that by their very presence on the Committee the points of view of the masses will be presented and represented at the table. Following these Committee meetings at which, we have been assured our views will be represented, the people will be asked to ratify the decisions and therefore changes to the constitution via a referendum.
No matter one’s political standing, this is clearly a sign of disrespect and is yet more evidence that the rules by which the masses are governed have nothing to do with them, save and except for stoically obeying them. It is a sign that they have no ratings for the people, that they view the people as nothing more than flunkies, slabs of meat that are only there to say ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ to proposals that they, the enlightened leaders, put to them.
Why is it that during this really epic, monumental and awesome process people are not being actively engaged? Why is it that we are not being actively consulted or canvassed about our views before the two major parties, their representatives and their hand-selected, individuals have come to a conclusion?
At the end of the day none of this bothers those in power. In fact, it delights them. The general view by those who rule over us is that the masses are ignorant people who are not up to the task of ruling themselves and are therefore totally unable and unsuited to have an impactful role in the process.
The Constitutional Reform Committee is a closed shop with the issues it is now discussing having long been agreed upon in many instances before the 90s and the remainder during that decade. This much was said by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who has come out and said the committee is useless and that the work being done is not ground-breaking. All that is being decided upon now are the fine trimmings.
Again, no one has consulted the people to see if we would like an executive president. A ceremonial president, a mixed system, or no president at all. Nobody has consulted the people to see what they want, because, as with everything in this country of any importance, it is a closed shop. It is not for the masses, it is for those who run the country.
We see this dismissal and disregard of the masses and their thoughts and opinions in the media in their coverage when people make suggestions and they are faced with childish examples to refute them.
System X is awful, we are told, because the third world nations which have it have suffered from coups, and the conversation ends. No questioning why these nations had coups and civil wars — the liberals hate to speak of this because it implicates their beloved model countries — no discussion of what Nkrumah, Keita, or Lumumba all had in common when they were overthrown.
The fact there is no mention that Euro-American countries with the models mooted have had no such political upheaval is beyond the point. What is needed is an easy excuse to ensure a closed shop and they have ensured that.
What should be a time of coming together, to genuinely hear the differing views of the masses and act on them so when the choice is given to them they have a real and vested interest in seeing it through is instead being turned into a dog and pony show. It has become so obvious and odious that civil society groups who traditionally seek to maintain the polite veneer of politics have had to come out saying that this process at least should be messy and inclusive of all the people, regardless of rank, ideology, or religion.
It is ironic that countries which are blasted and labelled as ‘anti-democratic’ always seem to involve the people in the decision-making process, especially when it comes to constitutional reform.
Do our liberals not feel a pang of shame that ‘evil countries’ such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, have all had constitutional reform within the last decade and included the views of not just the Parliament or a select committee, but the whole nation to the point that people can pick out reforms which they suggested?
Do they not feel embarrassed to be defending an unwieldy and unworkable system, which is the Westminster system, when the very home of this system has realised its uselessness and is slowly moving to a more presidential style system of executive governance?
This is it. The chance of a lifetime. We either use it or lose it. They are stealing it from us and we cannot allow that. We must have our input. Our voices must mean something. If not, well, we’re just in for a long ride.
