“Let the people speak” – Granger wants public consultations on Constitutional Reform

Head of state, David Granger speaking during the recent airing of the television programme “The Public Interest” said the Constitutional Reform Report submitted by chairman of the Constitutional Reform Steering Committee (CRSC), Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes has to be discussed at the cabinet level.

The President said a boardroom consultation is not what he envisions, hence country wide consultations is the route government will be taking. “It is my view that given the controversy that surrounds constitutional reform literally for nearly 40 years, we need to go to the people, find out what the people think …and we need to listen to them,” Granger said.

However, he does not want the citizens’ perceptions to be influenced prior. He noted that “I want a public discussion, I want people in their communities to meet and express their views. I don’t want a group of people sitting down in a room saying what must be done.”

The coalition prior to its assumption to office had touted major changes to the governance structure, including the capping of presidential powers as such, the crsc was established by the sub-committee on parliamentary affairs last august.