From Caribbean360

Election in Grenada: ballot box with voting paper on white background

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Wednesday July 16, 2014, CMC – Grenadians could go to a referendum in seven months to determine if they will accept twelve proposed changes to the country’s constitution.

Addressing the weekly post cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Legal Affairs Minister Elvin Nimrod said the Constitution Reform Advisory Committee has submitted its initial report to the Cabinet following weeks of consultations throughout the island.

He said the members will now examine the proposal with view for having the referendum poll on February 10, 2015.

Nimrod said one of the items which came highly recommended was the proposal for Grenada to recognize the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal.

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“We are saying that as an independent nation, as a sovereign nation, we think that we should use our own court instead of going to Privy Council in England”.

He said it’s apparent from community consultations that most Grenadians were in favor of going that route, adding that he is convinced that the British Privy Council feels the same way.

“I should tell you that from recent utterings and from other actions, we believe that the Privy Council feels burdened with our matters and that they believe it’s time for us to find our own wings to fly.”

Nimrod, who also served as Attorney general in the previous New National Party (NNP) administration, said he believes the CCJ would be more amenable and much more competent “in terms of knowing our culture and our ways of life and off course we believe that that might be the better route to take.”

Another big recommendation was for an official country name change from the State of Grenada to – Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

This change has been clamored for by most residents on the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique for decades. The residents have said they feel more connected to the Grenadine Islands than the state of Grenada.

Other suggestions for reform include the oath taken by government officials when accepting office, from allegiance to the Queen of England to allegiance to Grenada, changing the title from the Chief of Police to Commissioner of Police and establishing an Electoral commission instead of having a Supervisor of Elections.

The twelve recommendations now have to be reviewed and approved by cabinet, before going any further.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/grenada-may-hold-referendum-on-changes-to-the-constitution?utm_source=Caribbean360%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=52f5342451-Vol_9_Issue_141_News7_16_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-52f5342451-39393477