Government Remains Committed to Constitutional Reform and Consensus Despite Move by Opposition to Withhold Support
“The efforts that the government has made are not in vain. We will continue to pursue consensus. The journey continues.”
– Prime Minister Holness
———————————————————————–
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the government remains dedicated to advancing constitutional reform, despite the Opposition’s decision not to sign off on the Constitutional Reform Committee’s (CRC) final report.
In a statement on Wednesday (May 15) at the weekly Post Cabinet Media Briefing, Prime Minister Holness emphasized that the government is committed to achieving consensus on this critical matter noting his disappointment on the Opposition’s position.
“My initial assessment of the response of the Opposition is that I am disappointed, but I am not surprised. I’m not surprised that they would have tried to find every way out of seeing this process through to its rightful conclusion.”
The Prime Minister said the Government has been accommodating to the process and very patient with the Opposition considering their perspectives on the matter.
“You will also recall that he (Leader of the Opposition) declined to name the members to the Review Commission, and delayed for several months. We ended up having a meeting under the auspices of the Vale Royal talks. I thought those were good meetings and we came to an understanding that the process would be a phased process. That we would move on the matters on which we agreed, which would be the Jamaica becoming a Republic and the other matters that were a little bit more complex on which consensus ought to be fully realized, that those would come in the second phase of the process. As a result of that meeting, that is the Vale Royal talks, the leader of the opposition, agreed to name members to the CRC. And as a result of that, we moved forward with the review. So, we had a reasonable expectation that we are proceeding in good faith.”
Prime Minister Holness underscored the importance of continuing the reform process, asserting: “The efforts that the government has made are not in vain. We will continue to pursue consensus. The journey continues… I speak to you today as Prime Minister of the country, not as leader of a political party seeking power, but as someone who is genuinely interested in the advancement of our country.”
Highlighting the efforts made by the government to ensure an inclusive and thorough review process, Prime Minister Holness noted the extensive work undertaken by the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) and the broad consultations conducted across the island. He expressed gratitude to the members of the CRC for their dedication and acknowledged the sacrifices made in pursuit of national interests.
The Prime Minister’s statement reaffirms the government’s commitment to Jamaica’s constitutional reform and the country’s transformation into a Republic, ensuring continued progress toward economic independence and social development.