Editorial
Negotiating The Constitution
It will no doubt be with a great sense of history, expectation and pride that the Cayman Islands' delegation will head to London in early December to discuss the proposed Constitutional Review with Her Majesty's representatives at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
When the history of the Cayman Islands is written decades from now, their names will be indelibly etched as seminal figures in the process of modernising the Constitution of this country.
Of particular note to this exercise is that fact that the Opposition has been invited to form part of the dialogue.
This certainly illustrates that this country is small enough to see both sides of the argument and big enough to find viable compromises. So from the very start, one of the most difficult tasks of the constitutional reform process may already be tackled.
When completed, the Constitution may not be the perfect model, but it will surely be modernised and designed to take the Cayman Islands where it needs to go.
For as we have indicated previously, it is pointless having a luxury jet of an economy running with turbo prop or DC3 engines.
To this end, amendment of the Constitution will demonstrate to the world that this country, like other British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, is serious about redefining the supreme law of the land to conform with the ever-changing demands of globalisation.
We are not saying that, like those territories, there should be a rush by the Cayman Islands to embrace the type of governance that will remove the protective arms of Mother England and some of the covenants that we need for good order.
Nevertheless, many of the issues to be settled in the new Constitution will undoubtedly move this country closer to "adulthood".
The point here is that if previous governments first assumed the role of omnipotent architects of the present Constitution which served its time and ran its course, then it stands to reason that a modern government, enlightened by its own experience and inspired by the future, must act as an agent and a vehicle of change and take responsibility for determining the circumstances of this country's development.
Having said that, it is therefore important as the delegation sits down with Her Majesty's representatives at the FCO, that they emerge with a document that is in the best interest of the Cayman Islands and will have the features of a true democracy.
In our view, constitutional changes should be negotiated in an environment which requires leverage and compromise, and these are best invoked from a position of strength.
Many people are afraid of the very term constitution reform. They are afraid largely because in many cases the objectives of such reform are not clearly defined or understood.
Moreover, people typically tend to oppose the process when they cannot meaningfully participate in it. Despite the best efforts they often do not believe in its advertised benefits, paranoia understandably sets in and the whole process becomes suspect, leaving cracks of doubts and indifference.
This then leads some people to believe as was the recent case with the OECD, that when it comes to international negotiations, some small countries go to the table and with a trembling hand and a faint heart, sign away their souls.
This can manifest itself in public pressure which can lead to repudiation and leave the architects of reform weakened and isolated.
Experience is the best teacher and it has shown that in the pragmatic world of politics, to find oneself in such a situation is suicidal.