Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Senator A.J. Nicholson

The Government is planning to enact fundamental changes to the country's Constitution shortly after the next general election.

Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson announced on Friday in the Senate that a resolution would be brought to Parliament later this year recommending that, "immediately following the next general election, legislation should be prepared effecting these changes in our constitutional system."

Heading the list of reforms envisaged is the establishment of a republic, with a President replacing the monarch of the United Kingdom as the country's Head of State. This would not be an Executive President, elected by the people, as is done in the United States. Instead, the office would be a largely ceremonial one, as is the case today with the Governor-General, but with the office holder being responsible for making some sensitive appointments "that are to be made without partisan bias or favour."

The new Charter of Rights, reflecting modern thinking in the area of human rights, would also be incorporated in the Constitution.

But even before the promised resolution is brought to Parliament, a green paper would be tabled, outlining those areas of constitutional reform on which there is agreement and suggesting strategies for resolving those matters that are not yet fully settled.

national referendum

The changes to the Constitution would have to receive the support of the electorate in a national referendum before they were enacted.

Enacting these changes would bring to a successful conclusion a long journey that began in 1992 with the establishment of a Constitutional Reform Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice James Kerr. He was succeeded by Dr. Lloyd Barnett, who submitted the final report of the commission in February 1994.

The commission's report was then subjected to intense scrutiny by a joint select committee of Parliament, which submitted its report in 1995.

The Charter of Rights, one important component of the constitutional reforms, then became the subject of separate consideration by another joint select committee of Parliament. The report of this committee was presented last July.

historic importance

Senator Nicholson, seeking to impress upon his colleagues the historic importance of the changes contemplated, stressed the significance of the year 2007 being the 200th anniversary of the abolition by Britain of its trans-Atlantic slave trade.

"The Government is satisfied that there can be no better way to mark the significance of this historic moment in 2007 than to begin immediately the process of removing from our Constitution the last remaining vestiges of colonial status," he declared.