MEMBER OF the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC), Donna Scott-Mottley, has revealed that her greatest fear, as Jamaica moves towards republican status, is whether the required level of political maturity exists to facilitate the conversation while in campaign mode.
The committee was announced in March and the Holness administration indicated then that work for the first of three phases should be wrapped up in May with the Bill to change Jamaica into a republic.
The Bill to remove the British monarch as Jamaica’s head of state will have to be laid before each house of Parliament three months before debate and then await a further three months for a vote.
Thereafter, the country will have to be mobilised to vote in a referendum.
She said the timeline indicates that the country will be in election season by the time the process is complete.
Jamaica’s next general election is constitutionally due in September 2025.
UNAVOIDABLE
“It is unavoidable in my view that we would be about now to campaign and usually, if you look at the trends, there are very few prime ministers who go to five years,” she said in her address at the Rotary Club of Kingston’s meeting on Thursday.
Scott-Mottley said she raised the following question at the committee’s first meeting: “How do you see a JLP member of parliament and a PNP member of parliament standing on the same platform with a united voice around an issue when campaign time starts? I hope we can demonstrate to the country that there is one issue which transcends the politics of the day. I hope we can, but I am an optimistic and aspirational person. I am always looking for an opportunity to bring Jamaica together, to elevate our thoughts and to elevate the mission of transforming this country and making this country the best that it can be.”
On Wednesday, the Holness administration had said that consultations might delay tabling of the republic status legislation.
Meanwhile, she said it is important for Jamaicans to have an understanding of the things that are being reformed in the constitution and why.
“With the constitution, not only does it have to pass the two Houses, but it has to go to the people for a referendum. In other words, this is the final and finest test of democracy because as much as you might want to move from a monarchy, if the people don’t say yes it cannot be and I pray every morning that the people will say yes. Do I feel optimistic at this stage?” she asked.
ENOUGH WORK
Scott-Mottley, who is also Opposition senator, said enough work has not been done to ensure that Jamaicans will say yes.
“I don’t think that we have educated the people sufficiently about what is involved with the process and we have not heard enough from them. We have not engaged them at the level that I think we should,” she said.
The constitutional committee has held at least two major town hall meetings, in St` James and Manchester.
judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com
