BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – President Dame Sandra Mason has granted a seven-month extension to the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) to continue its work until April next year.
Director General – Governance, Gail Atkins, said an Order granting the extension to the Commission chaired by retired High Court judge Christopher Blackman was gazetted on September 18, extending the life of the CRC until April 19, 2024.
The Order states that the Commission should “present the written report within 22 months from the date of the appointment of the Commission”. The CRC was sworn in on June 20, 2022.
“The work of the CRC is pretty advanced. It has completed consultations locally and with the diaspora in the United Kingdom and North America. The CRC has received several submissions from members of the public, at home and abroad, as well as from key stakeholders on matters considered pertinent to the drafting of a new Constitution, Atkins said.
“The CRC is now at the deliberative stage where it is considering all the submissions made to determine the issues that will be contained in its report to be submitted to the President, as well as to provide drafting instructions for the preparation of a new Constitution for Barbados,” she added.
The terms of reference of the 10-member Commission, launched on June 24 last year to advise the Government on the formulation of a new Constitution, provided explicitly for the CRC to undertake four tasks within 15 months.
The broad-based panel is required to examine, consider, and enquire into the Constitution of Barbados and all other related laws and matters for developing and enacting a new Constitution for Barbados.
It must also make recommendations to the Government on the reforms that would meet the circumstances of a 21st century Barbados, promote the peace, Order, and good governance of the country, and provide for consideration a draft Constitution.
The CRC is also tasked to make recommendations on all matters that are relevant to attaining its aims and objectives.
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