Dear Editor,
I have been glad to see so much discussion in public and in your columns on approaches to constitutional reform. With due applause for Lincoln Lewis’ optimistic faith, I still tend to agree with Tarron Khemraj that a wholesale rewrite is needed. Our basic law is deficient, without explicit safeguards against the poisons of the political party system. The practice of paramountcy, enunciated in the 1970s though applied since independence and intensified in the new century, has led our leaders astray by pandering to the lowest instincts of the lowest grade of exploiters.
My pessimism is not based on principle or theory, but on results observed over half a century. I’m not presuming to preach what should happen, I’m merely pointing to the proven consequences of each of the choices available.
With escalating stakes ever further tempting material greed, we cannot be confident that law will be enforceable. But without a constitution evolved through the lessons of experience, we have no hope at all of growing into a decently governed, honourably led society.
Yours faithfully,
Gordon Forte
