DAILY EXPRESS AUGUST 13, 2K14 Citizens brave heavy rain to protest Constitution Bill By \\\\\ Leah Sorias Story Created: Aug 12, 2014 at 8:37 PM ECT Story Updated: Aug 12, 2014 at 8:37 PM ECT Citizens against Government’s proposed changes to the Constitution kept good on their word Monday and turned up outside Parliament, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain calling for the debate on the controversial Constitution (Amendment) Bill to be stopped. From as early as 8.30 a.m. they lined the front of the Parliament, and though partly restricted by barricades and even heavy rainfall, they did not fail in getting their message across. The protestors included supporters of the People’s National Movement, Congress of the People (COP), NGO Fixin’ T&T, central contractors who said they were yet to be paid by Government, supporters of Constitution Reform Commission member Dr Merle Hodge and individuals who came on their own volition. They were not intimidated by the throngs of United National Congress (UNC) supporters dressed in yellow who said they were in full support of the proposed changes and of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Loud jeers and boos erupted from the protestors as Government ministers filed into the Parliament just before 10.30 a.m. to begin the debate. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was not spared the ridicule as she too was booed and was urged to stop the proceedings. Speaking to the Express, Fixin’ T&T head, Kirk Waithe, said every citizen who is concerned about the country’s democracy should be in front the Parliament everyday until the debate is stopped. “This is the most dangerous assault on our Constitution, our Parliament and our people all over again, this is Section 34 on steroids,” he said. “The run-off aspect of the bill was packaged so that it would require a simple majority, this run-off is the most dangerous part of the bill that is going to be debated and this is why the debate must stop,” he added. Waithe said citizens, no matter their political affiliation must be protected. “We the people cannot allow any significant change to the Constitution without first speaking to us…we were never spoken to about run-off, he said. Waite has called on any attorney willing to represent Fixin’ T&T to step forward so the matter could be taken to the courts. “We will like to approach the courts for its intervention to stop this madness,” he said. Suspended member of the Congress of the People, Satu Ramcharan, said she was also against the run-off provision of the bill as it removes her ability to choose her representative. “I have no choice… after the first run-off, if I choose to exercise my vote for a party with a minority position I am deleted from the ballot,” she said. She said the proposal is an undemocratic method of electing MPs and is geared towards ensuring the UNC remains in power. Development activist, Karen Bart Alexander, said she too was not in support of the run-off voting. “It is designed to give one side an advantage over the other side. What the Government is trying to do is to legislate a majority vote to ensure the PNM is never going to get into office,” she said. “I am not a PNM supporter, I am very anti-PNM but I am not going to sit in this country and see the Government legislate something that would give them an unfair advantage and also cause this country to go into civil disturbance, instability and probably ethnic warfare,” Bart-Alexander noted. While many voiced their concerns about the bill, one group of Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) contractors used the opportunity to call on Government pay them the $111 million they are still owed. Spokeperson for the group, Danny Persad, said as it stood some of the contractors had already lost their homes, and he himself had lost his two trucks worth $.5 million. “Things have been intensified on our end, people continue to lose equipment and the banks are on our backs. Right now I am here because I have no work because I have been blacklisted,” he said. Meanwhile there were reports that scores of Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) workers were forced to show up at the Waterfront Complex to support the Government and its proposals. One CEPEP employee, said two maxi-taxis full of ‘supporters’ under various contractors from south Trinidad were transported to Port of Spain. “They tell us if we did not show up they would not pay us for today, which is $80 minimum wage…the MP is Chandresh Sharma from Fyzabad, the contractor for that area is his nephew and if we didn’t come they would cut our money, it does always happen for every rally,” she said. “The foreman will have your name on a list and if you don’t come he will know,” she claimed
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 01:28:14 +0000