A group of former commissioners from the People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) is speaking out, raising serious concerns about the final draft of the PCC report submitted to the Prime Minister. In a strongly worded letter, the former commissioners say the document doesn’t reflect the true input of the people. We caught up with the Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Doctor Louis Zabaneh, to get his take. He acknowledged the concerns and said they deserve to be considered to ensure the final draft truly represents the voices of Belizeans. However, Doctor Zabaneh also made it clear that the final decision on the report rests with the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who will ultimately take it to parliament.
Dr Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Constitution Affairs
“Indeed the P.M. has received the final report and I saw in the media about the commissioners coming up with their dissenting views and perspectives. So, I have not had a chance to sit with our people to look at that, but clearly we have to look at all these things. It is critical that we understand the process, how it proceeded and to be able to ensure that our prime minister has a report that we can carry on with the process. At this time I have not had the opportunity to look at that, but that will be done in short time. I think it speaks to our diversity in our country. Instead of seeing it from a negative point of view we should see it as a maturity in our democracy. So it is for us now to be able to, all the time it is a part of the process that the decision will lie with the prime minister and the Cabinet and going through the House of Representatives. So that was always something everybody understood. We want to make sure at that level we get the views of Belizean people. Ultimately that is why it is called the People’s Constitutional Commission.”
Again, while Prime Minister John Briceño and his Cabinet will be able to weigh in on the final draft report, members of Parliament will have the final say. But, that will not be anytime soon, since the P.M. has been granted a twelve-month extension to review the document.