Vincentians vote in referendum
Vincentians voted yesterday on whether to adopt a new constitution. A two-thirds majority is needed to adopt a proposed constitution that would replace the charter that was established when the country gained political independence in 1979. If the charter is approved, St Vincent and the Grenadines would join other Caribbean countries that have enacted new constitutions in recent months, including the Cayman Islands and the Dominican Republic.
Under the proposed constitution the British monarch would be replaced by a President as the head of state.
Both the government and opposition agree that the islands should become a republic.
But the opposition has been encouraging the public to vote ‘no’ because they claim the proposed changes do not sufficiently reduce the powers of the prime minister.
St Kitts opposition files fresh challenge
Lawyers representing two opposition legislators in St Kitts and Nevis have filed a fresh court challenge to stop the government from changing the island’s constituency boundaries.
They contend that Constituency Boundaries Commission is improperly constituted following last week’s resignation of the two opposition members from the body. Meanwhile the opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM) held a public demonstration yesterday in the streets of the capital, Basseterre, ahead of today‘s sitting of parliament, when the report of the commission will be tabled.
