Above: Grenada (Caribbean Journal photo)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Grenadians will vote on proposed changes to the country’s constitution in February 2015, the government announced.
A report has already been submitted to the country’s Cabinet by the Constitutional Reform Advisory Committee led by Dr Francis Alexis; that report covers 25 proposed areas for change, 12 of which were recommended for Cabinet approval.
The changes include Grenada’s accession to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the country’s final court of appeal; an official country name change from the State of Grenada to “Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” among others.
“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 the Privy Council in England,” according to Deputy Prime Minister Elvin Nimrod, who announced the proposed changes on Tuesday. “should tell you that from recent uttering 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.”
Other changes would include modifying the oath taken by government officials from “allegiance to the Queen of England” to “allegiance to Grenada,” and changing the title of Chief of Police to Commissioner Police.
In order to change the constitution in this manner, a two-thirds majority of voters must approve, along with a two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives.