Failing grade

More than a dozen young Jamaicans engaged in multiple professions and areas of study say the Government’s constitutional reform process has failed miserably and that there is no surprise that it has been rendered comatose.

The 16-member group, ages 19 to 35 years old, was unanimous in their agreement that the process, adopted by the Andrew Holness administration through the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, could only be given a score of three out of 10 for the outcome at this point.

During a forum with the diverse group last week at The Gleaner’s North Street, Kingston offices, one by one they poured out their disaffection with the practice of politics and governance which is frustrating their efforts to engage.

However, of the reform-to-republic process, led by Marlene Malahoo Forte, the minister of legal and constitutional affairs, the young adults said that except for a Google document some received through a WhatsApp group, the widespread engagement which they believed should have happened, did not.

As a result, no member of the group was surprised that the process came to a screeching halt. For some, they felt it was killed by lack of adequate consultation.

Communication strategist Rajae Danvers, who empanelled the group, told The Gleaner that his broader goal in pulling them together was to initiate a conversation that could assist in strengthening Jamaica’s democracy, which is weaker without appropriate youth engagement.

The group, including individuals representing accountants, policy and development specialists, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, tertiary students, surveyors, social anthropologists, yoga instructors, financial advisers, engineers, data analysts and communication strategists, were vocal in expressing their positions.

According to Danvers, the constitutional reform effort is the second phase of a process, as a similar engagement took place at Independence.

“I want to remind this group that ... a similar activity happened for our Independence, with consensus from both parties. Both leaders of the parties [Norman Manley for the People’s National Party (PNP) and Sir Alexander Bustamante for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)] went to England to do that. That process happened to give birth to our nation, and our leaders today have no hindsight to recognise that it takes that level of political maturity, and understanding the difference between politics and governance, for consensus,” Danvers added.

MAJOR POINT OF DISSONANCE

One of the major points of dissonance between the ruling JLP and Opposition PNP is the acceptance of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as Jamaica’s final appellate court. The United Kingdom (UK) Privy Council remains Jamaica’s final court.

The Opposition has refused to sign the report sent to Parliament by the Constitutional Reform Committee, unless the removal of the CCJ is part of the discourse. The JLP has stated that a referendum should be held on the matter, though it is not required.

Just last week, in the political leadership debate, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said the JLP believes Jamaica should have its own final appellate court.

The interview with young electors at The Gleaner took place the day before that final political debate.

One of the participants in the discussion, Shantavia Thaxter, wants to be able to vote for the party she believes has the best policies for her and other young people, and a member of parliament who might not be from that party. She wants the reform process to address that issue.

“One of the changes they would like to see made is separate votes for the local representative, and for the prime minister. That should have been considered in the reform process… . So what you hear a lot of times is that this person was here all this time, for how many years, but nothing was done. But, I can’t vote in this person, despite the fact that I like the policies by this party,” she expressed.

A majority said the process did not start where they believed it should, and some of the issues the country was being asked to accept would create a dictatorship.

For social anthropologist Ashleigh Onfroy, she is not missing the opportunity to take part in the process – participation which was denied her ancestors.

CIVIC DUTY

“It’s having an understanding of the history, where our predecessors would have liked to contribute or participate in a democratic process, but wouldn’t have had the opportunity for various reasons,” she told The Gleaner. “For me, I think it’s important for me as a citizen of this country. I live here, I work here and eventually, my children, if I have children, they’ll be here as well. And I think it would be remiss of me to see issues and not contribute to making a difference, to make a change. I can’t see the problem, or something about the problem, and I didn’t do anything to cure the problem.”

Another participant said that during a press briefing with Malahoo Forte, he questioned the minister on the reform process.

“And, in her response, she said that at some point we have to understand that it’s difficult to engage us in the earliest stages of the process because something needs to be done... . And I find that’s one of the major issues that I have with policy development. Young persons are often left out of the consultative phase of it, instead of being involved more intimately in the earlier processes,” Deshawn Carter explained.

According to him, the youth are disappointed with the piecemeal approach.

“For many Jamaicans, when we think of constitutional reform, we’re thinking of moving away from the Privy Council, and we’re thinking of using the Caribbean Court of Justice and all that interesting stuff that a lot of us are looking forward to. But, in their explanation, they’re like, oh, it has to be done [on a] phased [basis]. And they are saying all of this can’t be done at once; and to begin, we have to start off [with] a smaller step,” he stated.

While offering support for the Integrity Commission and watchdog bodies such as the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal and National Integrity Action, the group argued that a country like Jamaica, which is prone to corruption, must make more than token efforts at constitutional reform.

“So, I don’t think Jamaicans are, how do I put it, appeased with the approach to the constitutional reform process, and I certainly was not satisfied,” one participant said.

For another, she bemoaned the sense that there was not diverse engagement.

“Have I been personally engaged? No. Do I think they’re doing enough to engage, not just young people, but to have a diverse representation? No,” said Onfroy, who recalled a form sent to some youth groups. She believed that if research was being used to solicit engagement, it should be properly done.

RESEARCH POORLY DONE

Danvers said he recalled the form asking what things they wanted to change, but noted that if it was a research attempt, it was poorly done.

“I guess that was the attempt to engage, but the structure and how research is supposed to be done, that was not it. It was poor, which means that your findings from that mirror will not even be close to accurate,” he argued.

One participant said the process was “the biggest failure of the administration”.

Using jargon from his field of expertise, he said, “the Government began above ground foundation before the ground foundation”.

For him, that was the clearest indicator of root failure, which left the massive gap in what the body was able to produce, against what could have been.

He said the creation of an app to solicit views was suggested to the ministry and it was acknowledged as an excellent idea. However, he was curious as to how the committee could have been in the middle of a process when someone first thought that the idea should be explored.

Roshaun Wynter said that as a member of The University of the West Indies Guild Council he was consulted, but that the approach to the reform was unsatisfactory. He said he believed that proper research should have been undertaken in the beginning, to inform the process going further.

Wynter said Jamaicans from all walks of life and age groups, through schools and churches and other civic groups, should have been able to add their voices to the process.

In February this year, an RJRGLEANER-commissioned Don Anderson poll revealed that more Jamaicans supported combining the country’s transition to a republic with the adoption of the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final appellate court, rather than pursuing them separately. However, Jamaicans have adopted a schizophrenic position on the matter, advancing various positions since the talks around transitioning to a republic began.

Despite their dissatisfaction, 15 of the 16 young professionals who took part in the forum intend to vote on Wednesday in Jamaica’s 19th general election.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com