Senior Reporter
kay-marie.fletcher@guardian.co.tt
Criminologist Professor Ramesh Deosaran has submitted proposals to the advisory committee on constitution reform that includes a recommendation for an Executive President, a Cabinet outside of Parliament and the abolition of the Police Service Commission.
Deosaran said the Executive President should be someone elected by the entire country who will have the confidence and independence to serve everyone.
“The President now will be empowered to select his or her own ministers. The President may be able to look across the country and select the best-talented experts in the particular areas.
“This particular President will now have the power to select the best, most capable and the most honourable people in the country to serve as ministers and as an executive in the Cabinet. This particular Cabinet will not sit in Parliament but that Cabinet will be accountable to Parliament so then you have the genuine separation of powers,” he explained.
“I am also saying to abolish the Police Service Commission as it stands now. We have to do some remedial work and make a different framework. The Police Service Commission as framed in the Constitution since 2006 and admitted by both the UNC and the PNM is really not working. It has caused too much confusion, controversy and litigation, so we cannot live with that framework anymore,” Deosaran said
One of the key alternatives would be whoever will be appointed Commissioner of Police must be agreed to by both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.
Deosaran is also proposing fixed dates for general and local government elections and said there should be 26 government ministries, including a Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and a Ministry of Communication.
While admitting that he cannot see these proposals being implemented before the next general election, Deosaran said the Government and Opposition should ready themselves for change and make this a part of their campaigns.
In January, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said Cabinet had approved his proposal for a national consultation on constitutional reform. An advisory committee has been appointed that includes former Central Bank Governor Dr Terrence Farrell, former Tobago House of Assembly Chief administrator Raye Sandy, former Speaker of the House, Nizam Mohammed, former clerk of the House Jacqui Sampson-Meiguel, former chairman of the Public Service Commission Winston Rudder, accountant Hema Narinesingh and former House Speaker Barendra Sinanan, SC.