Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, who was intimately involved in the drafting of the Jamaican Constitution shared his firsthand experience and invaluable politico-legal perspective about the Constitution, as calls for constitutional reform reach another fever pitch on the island.
This critical reasoning event titled “A Reasoning with the Most Honorable PJ Patterson about the Jamaican Constitution”, came at a time when debates about the role of the monarchy and the potential for Jamaica to become a Republic have once again been placed on the front burner. The event took place at the Faculty of Law, Law Lecture Theatre 11, The UWI, Mona Campus.
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About one week ago Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that his government remains optimistic about the prospects for Jamaica’s transition from a constitutional monarchy to a republic. While noting that the process has not gone as he had expected, in relation to the anticipated stakeholder support, he still holds out hope for constitutional transformation being achieved.
In a statement he said, “It has not gone quite as I had expected, we needed to have the support of the Opposition, we still hold out hope that maybe we can actually do this. We will carry it as far as we can with the great hope that we can reach to some understanding and consensus. It is truly my wish for Jamaica to become a republic.”
In response to this, Patterson suggests a lock-in between Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding until an agreement is reached on critical aspects regarding the constitutional reform process.
He said: “My view is, the political leadership should meet; there is absolutely no reason, I know of no just cause or impediment why Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the Leader of the Opposition Mr Mark Golding, and their respective teams, cannot gather in a suitable facility while Vale Royal is being repaired and get a supply of food and drink and bedding if necessary. If you have to get some rooms in a hotel, so let it be, it’s worth it, the country needs it.”
He also added, “Lock down in there and don’t move until you get agreement, and if you need to call anybody on the side for a little help there are people that both sides can identify to call in and help. There must be a way, we have to find it.”
“It’s one Jamaica; we show we are capable of greatness. I am not suggesting that political contest cease and rivalry and debate discontinue. What I am saying is that there are some issues that are compelling… we are destroying ourselves,” he declared.
Patterson insisted that common ground should be found – “If the two leaders can’t agree, or can’t find a way of talking with each other, they have to find surrogates and authorize them to do the communication between themselves in accordance with the instructions that they are given.
He added: “If there is such a personality clash between the two leaders we cannot afford that to be to the detriment of the national interest of the country, we must find a way if we say we love Jamaica, and I think we do, if we say we want to advance the welfare of Jamaica, and I think we do, then we must find a way of getting it done.”
Patterson also expressed discomfort with the proposed two-tiered method of appointment of the president of the Jamaican republic by the committee among other issues. “It’s not easy, but it can be done, it must be done, Jamaica demands, needs urgently, some symbol that there is some source of uniting us. It cannot be a foreign monarch. It has to be one of our own that represents what our people stand for and aspire to be, and I think we can find it. We must insist that our leaders meet and continue to dialogue and if they can’t do it, they find people and authorise them to do it on their behalf,” he said.
Listen to his speech below:
