The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

CONSTITUTIONAL Committee Chairman Sean McWeeney yesterday dismissed criticisms by attorney Wayne Munroe over recommendations for constitutional reform to the government.

Mr McWeeney maintained that the nine-month process represented the broadest national consultation the country has ever seen, adding that Mr Munroe made an unfair characterisation of the Bahamian people in what appeared to be a premature judgment.

Mr McWeeney said: “This analysis wasn’t just limited to the internal think tanks of the commission, we went from one end of the country to the next. It wasn’t just the town hall meetings. It was consultations and interviews with a very broad cross section of the Bahamian people.”

He added: “Clearly Mr Munroe has not read the full report, he must be just going by the summary of recommendations. (The report) was a very long, well thought out prospect.”

Responding to Mr Munroe’s claim that the commission enlisted lay persons with no knowledge of the existing constitution, Mr McWeeney said he was impressed with the level of understanding on constitutional provisions he witnessed during the consultation process.

He also noted that the decision to stagger referenda was a matter for the executive government to decide, and the commission’s role was only to make recommendations.

Mr McWeeney said: “What we have said is that there are a lot of changes, and it is clearly completely impractical and unfair to deal with all in a single referendum. That just wouldn’t work. “You do have to stagger referenda over a period of time, but how that takes place is a matter for the executive government. We made recommendations to priority areas, that we believe should be tackled first.”

He added: “It’s good that we are getting good points of view, Mr Munroe is a very experienced member of the bar. I think it would bear him well to read the report and digest its contents thoroughly.”

Mr McWeeney also made a clarification on Tuesday’s headline story on recommendations for the Privy Council. Mr McWeeney said he was misquoted and explained that the Privy Council was not a foreign entity but sits as a Bahamian court.