Seven Constitution Amendment Bills Made Simple
Referendum Day is Thursday 27 October 2016. Citizens will be asked to cast their ballot to vote Yes or No, to each of seven Referendums / Bills. The proposed changes to the Constitution by Referendum would only carry if a two-thirds majority of voters vote for a particular Bill.
These bills propose to amend the Grenada Constitution for example with respect to:
Replacing the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice, ensuring current fundamental rights and freedoms of all Grenadians, including: Due process, gender equality, making special provisions for people with disabilities, the protection of the intellectual property (creativity) of Grenadians, directive principles with respect to the management of the economy and environment; management of the electoral process, the terms of office of a Prime Minister and changing the name of the State from “Grenada” to “Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.”
The seven ballot papers on which each of the seven bills will be placed in alphabetical order are:
BALLOT PAPER NO. 1: (CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE AND OTHER JUSTICE RELATED MATTERS) The amendments proposed to this Bill include:
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 2: (ELECTIONS AND BOUNDARIES COMMISSION) The amendment proposed by this Bill is the replacement of the Constituency Boundaries Commission and the Supervisor of Elections with an Elections and Boundaries Commission. |
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 3: (ENSURING THE APPOINTMENT OF LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION) This Bill proposes to amend the Constitution to authorise the Governor-General to appoint a Leader of the Opposition from the party getting the second highest number of votes, if one party wins all the seats in general elections. That Leader of the Opposition will be entitled to sit in the House of Representatives and perform all the constitutional functions of a Leader of the Opposition. |
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 4: (FIXED DATE FOR ELECTIONS) This Bill proposes to amend the Constitution to authorise Parliament to establish a fixed date for elections. However, elections may be called sooner than the fixed date for example if there a vote of no confidence moved in Parliament. |
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 5: (NAME OF STATE) The amendments proposed to this Bill include:
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 6: (RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS) The amendments proposed to this Bill aim to expand the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, some of which include:
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BALLOT PAPER NO. 7: (TERM OF OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER) The amendments proposed by this Bill, aim to authorise Parliament to pass a law to amend the Constitution to prevent someone from being appointed to the office of Prime Minister, if that person has already served as Prime Minister for three consecutive parliamentary terms. |
On Referendum Day, electors having analysed each Bill, must indicate their approval or disapproval, as their consciences guide them. They can vote: Yes or No, for: One, two, three, four, five, six, or all seven Bills, when they go to the polls.
Grenada Bar Association