KINGSTON, Jamaica — As promised by the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) while on the election campaign trail, a fixed election date and term limit for prime ministers are two of the areas on the legislative agenda for this year.
Speaking at the ceremonial opening of Parliament, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen confirmed in his Throne Speech that Parliament will this year see legislation to create fixed election dates and term limit for the prime minister.
Sir Patrick also spoke about an Impeachment Bill, which was another area of focus for the current Government while campaigning ahead of the February 25 General Election.
“The Impeachment Bill will provide for impeachment proceedings to be brought against corrupt public officials and Parliamentarians,” the Governor General said to the approval from parliamentarians on both sides of the aisle with pounding of desks.
The Dangerous Drugs Act is also on this year’s legislative agenda.
Sir Patrick said that there will be further amendment “to give full legislation to marijuana to be used for the specified purposes”.
Electoral change is happening in the Caribbean. Antigua…….St. Kitts…. Jamaica.
DOMINICA’S TURN MUST COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Folks, I will not say much but instead, all I will ask of us is that we compare what newly elected PM, Andrew Holness, is pushing for, with a one seat major, to that of the amendments Mr. Skerrit has made in his 12 years as PM and you tell me which one has betterment of country at heart and which one is ONLY concerned about personal interests. The fact of the matter is, not one piece of legislation Skerrit has pushed for is to ensure we are a better country, NO NOT ONE! We don’t even have to go back 12 years just look at his IPO amendment that is less than a year old and you tell me which country that legislation will help make a better one.
Wow, why the monkey syndrome, monkey see monkey do. Your comment based on the argument asking to compare which PM has the betterment of their country is somewhat ludicrous. The betterment of a Country is not judged by a legislation to have a fixed election date, a fixed election date is not going to solve Jamaica debt crises and bring prosperity and neither Dominica.
When you make such statements quote “the fact of the matter is, not one piece of legislation Skerrit has pushed for is to ensure we are a better country, NO NOT ONE!” how arrogant and silly you are to make such statement, ignoring facts does not say you are right.This only shows what political partisan beliefs can do to the mind.
The govt.of jamaica,must seek the permission of the permission of the Queen to pass those proposals.the Queen is still the head of state of Jamaica. I wonder how those smart Dominicans don,t know that.
If you had read Sir Patrick Allen’s address in full you would have noticed that he also announced plans to amend the constitution of Jamaica to replace the Queen as Head of State with a President.
It is not automatically given that a country fares better under a monarch as Head of State than a President as evidenced by the economies of many of our Commonwealth partners, and Caricom members in particular that outperform Dominica.
So it’s only in Dominica,one of the poorest and most badly managed country most likely in the commonwealth,one man just believe that he can high jack the voting process to perpetuate his tyranny on those that he hates???What does he have to hide?Everything MUST come out one day..NG Lapseng,ALISON MADUEKE,,,Mr Cheng,,,Passport sales accountability,etc, etc,etc… You like cakes made in Macau and you like cutting it like a quintessential clown, but I LIKE JUSTICE!
Jamaica is certainly on the right track in addressing the term limits of Prime Ministers and setting a fixed election date so that each party will have a fair chance in preparing, financing and organizing political campaigns in the run-up to elections. They are even considering legislative changes with regards to the use and/or growing of marijuana. In a world where the marijuana laws are becoming more and more relaxed in terms of the growing and use of marijuana for medical reasons, it would be wise for Caribbean countries to consider the economic benefits that they may derive from this multi-billion dollar industry. Yet, we are in Dominica, a place where election results are predicated upon who is in control of the Country’s purse and the proceeds of passport sales. A place where such common sense legislative changes are adverse to the Government’s agenda and would actually threaten its legacy! Big up Jamaica, cry for Dominica. That’s just the way it is for us!
that the good thing with skeritt his is a leader not a follower
So was Hitler, sadam Hussain, mosulini, and the likes. There are good leaders and bad leaders and there are smart followers and stupid followers. Smart ones know when to go there own way.
What chance does Dominica stand with nutters like this ‘Jim Jones’? What on earth is your agenda and motivation, Jim Jones?
How many Dollars do you get from the Paymaster General for a comment like that? $20? Just enough for a bottle of Soca… while your master is sipping Dom Perignon by the grade. Oh sorry, I forgot, you do not know what Dom Perignon is. Well, I won’t tell… Google it. Oh, you have no internet, can’t afford it. I am sorry about that, me be you support the wrong party?!
The pied piper of Hameln was a leader too Jim Jones. And so was Adolf Hitler,who’s Honorable title was Fuehrer, which means Leader in German! Good luck with your leader Jim Jones. He is not mine and I am immune to his tunes., except that they give me headaches and tummy cramp.
Step in the right direction Jamaica. This will help for better government and responsibility to the people. One they the tail in Dominica will stop try to wag the dog. Too many brainless people running the country.
“The Impeachment Bill will provide for impeachment proceedings to be brought against corrupt public officials and Parliamentarians,”
Such a bill is needed in Dominica, along with mandatory term limits; term limit prevents corrupt politicians from holding on to power by buying votes, and the impeachment law could be utilized to remove politicians who steal and lie to the people.
Citizens of Dominica should demand that we follow after St. Kitts, and Jamaica for implementation such rules by law!
In addition we need:
– a freedom of information act.
– disclosure of owners- beneficiaries of off shore companies, especially in light of the effects of the Panama papers fall out.
If we do not do that we run the risk of being blacklisted again. We must be clean and also seen to be clean.
Why should we sacrifice our own financial services industry to please the U.S. when it’s the U.S. itself that unabashedly remains the largest tax haven in the world?
This is real progress towards strengthening democracy while we slip into the darkness of dictatorship and yiranny. Does Caricom really exist and is Dominica a real member?
This is exactly what Dominica needs right now. Skeritt that power hungry should take a page from this book. I cannot understand how a man saying he want to stay in power for 50 years when even he himself knows that he cannot take Dominica anywhere but further down into that ever sinking bottomless pit. The guys in the above article are smart. They realize that this is what’s needed to get rid of “corrupt public officials and Parliamentarians.” But no, our supreme leader, the minister of questionable finances would not be interested in that. He would prefer to stay in office for 50 years where he could continue to bless us with free Wi-Fi and tablets, wood ant infested plywood, weekly stipends, unemployment, and not forgetting colorful rusty galvanize.
We definitely need fixed election dates, and PM term limits here in DA.