Mac & Kurt Summoned

Hon McKeeva Bush	Hon Kurt Tibbetts

Monday, January 12, 2004

Leader of Government Business, Hon McKeeva Bush, and Leader of the Opposition, Hon Kurt Tibbetts, were asked to attend a meeting with the Governor at his office last Wednesday, where they learned that they have been requested to travel to the UK to discuss matters dealing with the Constitution. 

Sources indicate that the UK is desirous of having the two parties of Government, the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People's Progressive Movement (PPM) reach some sort of agreement on unresolved issues prior to Governor delivering the Throne Speech on 13 February.

Contacted for comment about the development, Mr Tibbetts confirmed the meeting with the Governor had taken place, but said no progress was made to this point. "It's anyone's guess what will happen, if anything, Constitutionally because of the divide (between the UDP and the PPM)," he said.

One of the stumbling blocks, according the Mr Tibbetts, remains with the island-wide single member constituency proposal. "We believe that single member constituencies are the way forward," he said, "and I don't see us changing that position at all."

Mr Tibbetts conceded that if an agreement could not be reached on the outstanding issue, the existing Constitution, including the current electoral constituencies, might have to be maintained through the next election. "It's a pity for the modernisation process to be delayed again," he said.

This trip to the UK will be different than the last time a multi-organisation contingent travelled there to talk about the Constitution. Unlike the delegation of five UDP members, three PPM members and two non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives in December 2002, it is understood that this mission is requested by the UK to be smaller.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly Hansard of the Government's recommendation to have single member constituencies only in George Town for the next election has not even arrived in London yet, and so the UK has yet to respond to the proposal.

Official sources have indicated, however, that based on knowledge of the proposal, the UK will not sign off on the proposal.

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