Sir Godfrey Gregg

This is my take on misinformation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and it moves around like truth since it is spread by certain individuals who know better. These individuals are trained and know the truth but with a little twist and there is a rumour or something that is not true yet it sounds like truth to their audience.

The recent appointment of the Senior Magistrate to the Supreme Court as a Master of the Court is being circulated as a political favour and that is not the case with the Judiciary of the OECS (Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States).

I am suggesting that there be public forums to educate the public how these organizations function and so remove doubts from the minds of people. There are constitutional requirements to set up commissions and there are the political commissions and they function very differently. There can be bias any way you look at it but the commissions must be able to function without the interference of the political powers.

I believe that there are too many powers to the Prime Minister in the Constitution and unless there are proper consultation and education among the public, they will never understand. Remember in 1979 the Constitution was written and adopted under the leadership of Robert Milton Cato then Premier of St. Vincent and the Grenadines under a labour party administration. Those powers remain today and have served well under previous administrations.

It is high time for some changes to be made and shift some powers from the hands of the Prime Minister. I will love to see a specific date for General Elections (eg, the third Thursday in July). I will also love to see the installation of the new government the Tuesday following the Elections.

We have to educate the people and have proper consultations and forums to enact these changes to the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.