Showing posts with label Diversity. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

The MultiCultural Face of Politics

Over the years Demokrissy has become a platform for reliable and incisive analyses on interlocking global phenomenon. This analysis of the recent national elections show the vast discrepancies in interpreting data by conventional benchmarks. The picture is entirely different when the diversity and other demographics are taken into account. It is telling in how media representations shape public opinion and the climate of in/stability, violence, discrimination and other tangental socio-cultural and economic conditions. For details go to the Academy at the GloCal Knowledge Pot linked here.
Dr Kris Rampersad is an independent international sustainble development researcher, educator and heritage specialist. For analyses, webinars, semianrs, workshops and courses contact at Academy at the GloCal Knowledge Pot linked here.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Towards A State of the Art Museum for Trinidad and Tobago Statement #InternationalMuseumDay

TOWARDS A STATE OF THE ART MUSEUM

Statement by the Chair, National Museum and Art Gallery

Dr Kris Rampersad

On the occasion of International Museum Day, May 18, 2015

Today, International Museum Day, the National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG) invites the public to reflect on this year’s theme, Museum for a Sustainable Society.

The theme allows us to reconsider the role of museums and what is needed to reposition ours to become a key driver of social and economic transformation through enhancing and protecting cultural diversity, natural history, sharing conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity and expanding economic bases of income and employment generation. It is time we begin thinking of creating, investing and budgeting for a state of the art museum for Trinidad and Tobago. Our heritage has certainly outgrown the walls of the existing Royal Victoria Institute on upper Frederick Street in Port of Spain, established as a museum of science and natural history in 1892.

While the Royal Victoria Institute building remains iconic to our history and heritage and indeed as the headquarters of our national museum system, it has insufficient space to accommodate the rich array of national heritage.

As we move to develop a satellite of associated museums that embraces The Museum of the City of Port of Spain, Fort San Andreas in South Quay, and engage with community museums, a state of the art museum will allow for the kind of walk-in exhibition spaces, interactive engagement, digital displays that modern publics expect of an institution bearing the title of national museum. For this we also require enhanced training and capacity building of human resources as well as substantial investments that demonstrate recognition for the inherent value that will accrue towards strengthening heritage as an industry and provide spin off advantages of social inclusion and aligned social, economic and political stability.

This NMAG Board is committed to advancing understanding and appreciation of a museum as the catalyst of the cultural heritage sector, with a substantive place in economic diversification, employment and generation . A museum as a facility which through its displays researches, interprets and represent a society is crucial to conveying national identity, as it is in educating, interacting and engaging not just national and international population, provoking and interrogating as well as articulating, refining and pointing to points of progress.As we prepare for the 2015 General Elections, it might be prudent for political parties contending for leadership of Trinidad and Tobago over the next five years to include proposals to harness and leverage the heritage of Trinidad and Tobago in their manifestos and hustings’ proclamation so as to enhance the timbre of debate and build awareness among the population to meet expectations for a more substantial development agenda.We look forward to partnering with the corporate and industrial sectors as well as among NGOs and academia to help build and develop the National Museum and Art Gallery into an institution in which Trinidad and Tobago, its diaspora and indeed the global community can take pride and we look forward to welcoming you to the displays at the Royal Victoria Institute. With Warmest Wishes for a Happy Museum Day. Subscribe and visit www.krisrampersad.com

Dr Kris Rampersad

Chair, National Museum and Art Gallery.

Photo Above: Chair of the National Museum and Art Gallery, Dr Kris Rampersad (right) meets with staff of the National Museum and Art Gallery and engage in discussions on improving the delivery of services at the Museum. Photo courtesy Rubadiri Victor, NMAG board member.

Photo: Dr Kris Rampersad, Chair of the National Museum and Art Gallery assisted by lifecoach Philip Rochford leads a retreat of the Board of the National Museum and Art Gallery at the conference room of the National Botanic Garden The new board met to plan vision, mission and strategic directions for NMAG. Photo Courtesy Dr Marsha Pearce.

Ask About LiTTours & LiTTributes

New Review LiTTscapes in Commonwealth Journal from Editor, Financial Times, London:

Related Links:

Murder and the Museum http//goo.gl/FHs3Fr

Celebrating Nationhood But Can new Save the Nation http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/08/celebrating-nationhood-but-can-we-save.html

Death of Knowledge & Social Conscience

Pat-bishops-last-struggle-killings

Them-red-house-bones

A-tale-of-two-skeletons

Arresting-tears-for-us-and-haytian-globe

Yo Ho ho and a bottle of rumhttps://goo.gl/TvXOHU

Demokrissy https://goo.gl/FHs3Fr

Changing the World with Ideas goo.gl/Pa6jAk

Lagahoo-tribute-to-independent-spirits
Nationhood in contestation with globalisation: http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/08/nationhood-in-contestation-with.html

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/08/creating-revolution-through-knowledge.html

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-world-inspired-littscapes-turns-3.html

my-discoverie-columbus-lost-and-found

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/07/my-discoverie-columbus-lost-and-found.html

http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com /from-beirut-to-port-of-spain-how-west.html

The-price-of-passion-awards-and-rewards

https://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-price-of-passion-awards-and-rewards.html

Exploring a World Through MultiCultural Lenses https://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2017/07/dr-kris-rampersad-exploring-world.html

Power Failure Media Blackout Brets Muffled Threats and Ransoming Father: https://goo.gl/YjbBgx

Jurisprudence-rip-obituary-walcott.html

my-date-with-narendra-modi-dat-merkel affair

Of-diasporas-migrations-arrivals.

Elixirs-of-entrepreneurship-The Emperor and I

Ah-drinking-babash-in-this-fo-rum

Nobel-tears-of-and-for-nobel-bard

Things-that-make-me-go-steups-stars http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/2016/12/things-that-make-me-go-steups-stars.html

The Walcott Files
LiTTscapes for Littribute to the Antilles
A LiTTribute at UNESCO
Inscription by UNESCO of Poems
Small only in Size UNESCO Executive Board told
World in a Fishbowl
A Musical Heritage walk UNESCO Creative Cities

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In-war-and-peace-from-hiroshima-to-home.html

A-path-out-of-mayhem-and-murder

Turning-our-dreams-to-shame-rip-asami

Focus-resources on real crime

jus-call-me-cooligan

The world-in-fishbowl

The-other-magnificent-seven

Tribute-to-literary-mentor

The-human-face-of-constitutional-reform

The-ghost-of journalism past

OverCopulation - The Archbishop The Priest The Politician & The Journalist

Ask About LiTTscapes,

Ask about LiTTours and LiTTributes

Diplomats get stimulating LiTTour

Demokrissy: To vote, just how we party … Towards culturally ...
Apr 30, 2010 'How we vote is not how we party.' At 'all inclusive' fetes and other forums, we nod in inebriated wisdom to calypsonian David Rudder's elucidation of the paradoxical political vs. social realities of Trinidad and Tobago. http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: DEADLOCK: Sign of things to come
Oct 29, 2013 An indication that unless we devise innovative ways to address representation of our diversity, we will find ourselves in various forms of deadlock at the polls that throw us into a spiral of political tug of war albeit with not just ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: The human face of constitutional reform
Oct 16, 2013 Sheilah was clearly and sharply articulating the deficiencies in governmesaw her: a tinymite elderly woman, gracefully wrinkled, deeply over with concerns about political and institutional stagnation but brimming over with ... http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Trini politics is d best
Oct 21, 2013 Ain't Trini politics d BEST! Nobody fighting because they lose. All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age - Demokrissy
Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T politics: A new direction? - Caribbean360 Oct 01, 2010 http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Oct 20, 2013 Choosing the Emperor's New Troops. The dilemma of choice. Voting is supposed to be an exercise in thoughtful, studied choice. Local government is the foundation for good governance so even if one wants to reform the ... http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Demokrissy - Blogger
Apr 07, 2013 Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. So we've had the rounds of consultations on Constitutional Reform? Are we any wiser? Do we have a sense of direction that will drive ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2
Apr 30, 2013 Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2....http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
See Also:
Demokrissy: Winds of Political Change - Dawn of T&T's Arab Spring
Jul 30, 2013 Wherever these breezes have passed, they have left in their wake wide ranging social and political changes: one the one hand toppling long time leaders with rising decibels from previously suppressed peoples demanding a ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Reform, Conform, Perform or None of the Above cross ...
Oct 25, 2013 Some 50 percent did not vote. The local government elections results lends further proof of the discussion began in Clash of Political Cultures: Cultural Diversity and Minority Politics in Trinidad and Tobago in Through The ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Sounds of a party - a political party
Oct 14, 2013 They are announcing some political meeting or the other; and begging for my vote, and meh road still aint fix though I hear all parts getting box drains and thing, so I vex. So peeps, you know I am a sceptic so help me decide. http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian
Jun 15, 2010 T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian · T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 8:20 AM · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Related:
Demokrissy: To vote, just how we party … Towards culturally ...
Apr 30, 2010 'How we vote is not how we party.' At 'all inclusive' fetes and other forums, we nod in inebriated wisdom to calypsonian David Rudder's elucidation of the paradoxical political vs. social realities of Trinidad and Tobago. http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: DEADLOCK: Sign of things to come
Oct 29, 2013 An indication that unless we devise innovative ways to address representation of our diversity, we will find ourselves in various forms of deadlock at the polls that throw us into a spiral of political tug of war albeit with not just ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: The human face of constitutional reform
Oct 16, 2013 Sheilah was clearly and sharply articulating the deficiencies in governmesaw her: a tinymite elderly woman, gracefully wrinkled, deeply over with concerns about political and institutional stagnation but brimming over with ... http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Trini politics is d best
Oct 21, 2013 Ain't Trini politics d BEST! Nobody fighting because they lose. All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age - Demokrissy
Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T politics: A new direction? - Caribbean360 Oct 01, 2010 http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Others: Demokrissy: Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 ...
Apr 07, 2013
Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. So we've had the rounds of consultations on Constitutional Reform? Are we any wiser? Do we have a sense of direction that will drive ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2
Apr 30, 2013
Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2.
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Wave a flag for a party rag...Choosing the Emperor's New ...
Oct 20, 2013
Choosing the Emperor's New Troops. The dilemma of choice. Voting is supposed to be an ... Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 10:36 AM ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Carnivalising the Constitution People Power ...
Feb 26, 2014
This Demokrissy series, The Emperor's New Tools, continues and builds on the analysis of evolution in our governance, begun in the introduction to my book, Through the Political Glass Ceiling (2010): The Clash of Political ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Envisioning outside-the-island-box ... - Demokrissy - Blogger
Feb 10, 2014
This Demokrissy series, The Emperor's New Tools, continues and builds on the analysis of evolution in our governance, begun in the introduction to my book, Through the Political Glass Ceiling (2010): The Clash of Political ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Futuring the Post-2015 UNESCO Agenda
Apr 22, 2014
It is placing increasing pressure for erasure of barriers of geography, age, ethnicity, gender, cultures and other sectoral interests, and in utilising the tools placed at our disposal to access our accumulate knowledge and technologies towards eroding these superficial barriers. In this context, we believe that the work of UNESCO remains significant and relevant and that UNESCO is indeed the institution best positioned to consolidate the ..... The Emperor's New Tools ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Cutting edge journalism
Jun 15, 2010
The Emperor's New Tools. Loading... AddThis. Bookmark and Share. Loading... Follow by Email. About Me. My Photo · Kris Rampersad. Media, Cultural and Literary Consultant, Facilitator, Educator and Practitioner. View my ...
http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Reform, Conform, Perform or None of the Above cross winds political climate change

Some 50 percent did not vote. The local government elections results lends further proof of the discussion began in Clash of Political Cultures: Cultural Diversity and Minority Politics in Trinidad and Tobago in Through The Political Glass Ceiling, on the raging winds that blow in political climate change

It must be something of comic irony, or ironic comedy that the matter of proportional representation has now surfaced not so much in the context of better citizen representation, but to give political parties more opportunity to potentially twart, stymie, and hijack the delivery of goods and services to citizens.

versions of the proportional representative system, or have no one noticed? That we might be in reform mode gives us adequate opportunity to take this giant leap forward, rather than hinge change on their now archaic recommendations that saw reform only within the context of already tottering institutions.

If the already acknowledged clearly deficient two-party West Minster system on which our governance is based, and the hung US Parliament to which our reform efforts are looking are not enough of a lesson on the potential ills of existing representative models, I'm not sure what is.

What is wrong with this map? It does not reflect the voting
turmoil within districts: and the spread of none voting pop.
Disclaimer: I have no rights to this photo
From the GIS report on local government elections

As I presented in Clash of Political Cultures: Cultural Diversity and Minority Politics in Trinidad and Tobago, the introduction to Through The Political Glass Ceiling, the need for us to look for and devise a system and reconstruct institutions in ways that are relevant to our own realities has been in demand by a growing disenchanted electorate since the 1960s. The nature of our society cannot be force-fitted into the corsets of archaic PR and Westminster Systems. Low voter turnout, voters grasping at the promised potential of third party messiahs, all of whom seem unable to move vision into action, indicate a national cry for accommodation of our diversity and that systems and institutions grow up to do so.

The picture of a red and yellow map, with a touch of green, depicting the election results totally skews the micro picture of how the voting went and does not reflect the political convulsions that are taking place within our communities which are struggling to articulate their discomfort and disenchantment with what exists.

Talk of homeland, heartland, base support only reinforce the myopia and ignore the basic fact that the diverse nature of our society from its origins - its diversity - has never been addressed in or found resonance in governance. In fact, the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and interests continue to be stymied by a defective political party system, at national and local levels: the independent senator quota allowance to the President that is supposed to present the balance of interests and of power has never really been seen in that role; and representation at local levels has always suffered from political partisanship. Why do we keep going back to these old, archaic, irrelevant political interpretations of our society when we have an opportunity to move forward? Why do we would want to further entrench such counterproductive political partisanship in the local government system, continuing to ignore the now at least 50 percent of the population who want to vote 'none of' in relation to the offerings, rather than find new, imaginative ways of accommodating our varieties. Not proportional representation, but a non-partisan local government system, that represents diverse interests (not necessarily ethnicities nor political parties) as put forward in the section of the report to the OAS on local government reform should be the starting point. Then perhaps, we would see parties transforming themselves to address issues - health, water, sanitation, access roads, electricity, information technologies (was that concept even used n any of the campain platforms?)

The opportunity to harness the best of us, to impact the political climate change sweeping not only or islands but the globe, drawing from the experience of our evolution diversity .... more: see articles below and Website
Related links: Trini Politics is D Best
The human face of cnstitutional reform
Making Local Government WorkNew Presidential Picong Tours & Worshop Specials Sounds of a Party - a political partyOld Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T

PM on local government reform

Local government election Oct 21

...govt to pilot amendment to Municipal Corporations Act

By Multimedia Desk

Story Created: Aug 29, 2013 at 5:11 PM ECT

Story Updated: Oct 18, 2013 at 9:14 AM ECT

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar today announced that her government does not propose to postpone local government elections but intend to lay in Parliament, a Bill to amend the Municipal Corporations Act, 1990.

Persad-Bissessar made the announcement at a Post-Cabinet News Conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

Following is the full content of the Persad-Bissessar's statement:

PP Government does not propose to postpone local government elections and also proposes to lay in Parliament, a Bill to amend the Municipal Corporations Act, 1990

Local Government Elections will be held on time

The life of local government bodies in Trinidad and Tobago came to an end on July 26^th2013. By law, Local Government elections are due by within three (3) months after the life of the municipal corporations came to an end. Since the expiration of the life of the Local Government, there has been widespread public speculation that this Government would seek to postpone local government elections. Today I confirm to you that although it remains open to the Government to pass legislation to postpone any elections, the local government elections shall not be postponed.

It was following a meeting of the National Executive Council of the UNC, that I merely communicated to the national community that some former UNC Councillors had expressed the view that the local government elections should be postponed in order to facilitate the implementation of this Government’s proposal for local government reform as expressed in the White Paper on Local Government Reform which was published in July 2012.

Postponement of the Local Government Elections by the PNM

I am on record as having condemned the former PNM regime for suppressing the voice of the people by postponing local government elections for over four (4) years during the period 2006-2010. This was not the first time it had taken such action: The PNM had also postponed local government elections on three (3) occasions during the period 1962 to 1968 and 1974 to 1977. The population neither forgets nor forgives such disenfranchisement as there are many who remember the bitter struggle over the years for a democratic system of governance that puts the power in the hands of the people.

The Value of the Right to Vote

Ours is a young but vibrant democracy. It was only recently, in 1946 that the British Parliament granted universal adult suffrage to Trinidad and Tobago. At first, the right to vote was limited to persons 21 years and over. The 1976 Republican Constitution lowered this to 18 years. We must never take the right to vote for granted. The postponement of any election which is constitutionally due must only be countenanced in the most exceptional and extreme circumstances. War and famine come to mind as examples of appropriate circumstances.

In this context the postponement of local government elections by the PNM remains a blot on our otherwise proud and unblemished record as a democratic nation.

Manifesto Promise

My entire political career has been based on respect for the voice of the people. I am not about to change that now. It is essential that governance is informed and guided by the voice of the people.

In the 2010 manifesto to the People’s Partnership we declared our commitment to a genuine participatory democracy. We promised that we would never deprive you of what we view as your fundamental human right to vote and elect representatives of your choice.

Patron of the Local Government Forum of the Commonwealth

The postponement of local government elections is alien to the concept of people-centred development. At present, I am a patron of the Local Government Forum of the Commonwealth. My fellow patrons are the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the RT Honourable Helen Clarke and the President of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. I am therefore at the forefront of the international movement for the reform and strengthening of local government to give greater power to the people.

I will not follow the precedent set by some of our predecessors and use the burning issue of local government reform as an excuse to avoid facing the electorate. I am not a coward. I am not afraid of the voice of the people- on the contrary, I draw my political strength and inspiration from it.

The Admitted Need for Local Government Reform

That is not to say however, that local government reform can be put on the back burner. Indeed, there is a pressing and urgent need for it. Since Independence in 1962, there have been several attempts at local government reform. These include:

· 1965- Report commissioned by Dr Eric Williams from a committee chaired by Mitra Sinanan

· 1974- The Sir Hugh Wooding Constitution Commission

· 1983- The Chambers Administration Draft Policy Paper on Community Development and Local Government Reform, 1983

· 1989- The ANR Robinson Administration draft Policy Paper on “The Decentralization Process, Regional Administration and Regional Development.”

· 2006- The Manning administration’s White Paper on Local Government Reform which followed the Green Paper of 2004

Municipal Corporations Act over 20 years old

The present Municipal Corporations Act was passed in 1990. It is over twenty (20) years old. It must be revisited to address the rapidly evolving and changing social, economic and cultural environment of the 21^st century.

Proportional Representation – Principles of Fairness Group

The concept of proportional representation has been advocated as a fairer and stronger system for many years now. It has had the blessing of the Wooding Commission in 1974. More recently, the 2006 draft constitution of the Principles of Fairness Group proposed a system of proportional representation for the election of Senators.

The idea was that parties should have a slate of Senators that is known beforehand to the public at a general election. Seats in the Senate would be allocated in accordance with the number of votes cast for a party. (See Section 69 of the draft constitution of the Principle of Fairness Group)

This is a unique and attractive idea that I wish to introduce in our local government elections. It will represent a historic foray into the virgin territory of proportionate representation which many feel, is an idea whose time has come.

Members of the Principles of Fairness Group

I am grateful to the members of the Principles of Fairness Group that introduced this idea. I think it is wise to incorporate it into the political and democratic process for the election of Aldermen which, by analogy, is the equivalent of party appointed Senators. The Directors of the Principles of Fairness Group were:-

Marjorie Thorpe, PhD (Chairman)

Archbishop Edward Gilbert

Ken Gordon

Bhoendradatt Tewarie, PhD

Tajmool Hosein, TC, QC

Arthur Lok Jack

Hamid Ghany, PhD

Patricia Mohammed, PhD

Satnarine Maharaj and

Noble Khan

The Constitution was prepared by a Sub-Committee comprising:

Tajmool Hosein, TC, QC and

Hamid Ghany, PhD

Strengthening and Deepening our democracy

The fundamental issue for me is the implementation of a policy to further democratize and strengthen the local government bodies in such a way as to allow the electorate greater control over the election of all persons who would hold office in all of the Councils.

The time has come to have the Aldermen elected by the population and not selected by the Councillors after an election. Our examples over the years have shown us that this process can be manipulated and controlled by political deal-making and political indiscipline to the detriment of the population who have no say in what the Councillors may want to do after they have been elected.

Proposed change in the law

In the circumstances I wish to state the following:-

Local Government Elections will be held when they are due.

My Government will table Legislation immediately to introduce a system of proportional representation for the election of Aldermen.

Councillors will continue to be elected in the same way that they are now elected under the first past-the-post system.

All Councils will have their complement of Aldermen increased to 4 to ensure that there is no inequality between Councils where Aldermen are concerned.

The recommendations of the Elections and Boundaries Commission for the seat distribution and boundaries in existing Councils will be implemented.

The current method for choosing Aldermen will be abolished.

Every vote will now count

By introducing a mixed system of election using the first past-the-post system for the existing electoral districts and a system of proportional representation for the election of Aldermen, my Government is seeking to expand the electoral process in local government.

The expansion will ensure that every vote will count in every district because those votes will be used to calculate the allocation of the seats of Aldermen. Even if a single party were to win all of the seats on the first past-the-post system, there will more than likely be an allocation of at least one Alderman to another party which will ensure that another political voice would sit on such a Council.

Proposed Aldermen to be known by electorate upfront

All political parties will be required to provide a list of names of potential Aldermen whose number will be equal to the number of the electoral districts and who themselves will not be candidates in those districts. This will be necessary to ensure that the electorate know in advance who the potential Aldermen are likely to be by seeing in advance the pool of names from which the Aldermen will be drawn.

Four (4) Aldermen to be chosen from list

Up to four (4) Aldermen in total will be chosen for each Council by extracting the names of those persons whom each party would like to see as their Aldermen from the lists provided by the said political parties. Such an extraction of names will be done in proportion of the total votes cast for each party for their Councillors in the various electoral districts within a Council.

Vacancies to be filled from unused names

In the event that any vacancies arise among the Aldermen during the term of office of a Council, such vacancies can be filled by drawing names from the unused portion of the list of names provided by political parties on nomination day. As a consequence of using this method the vacancies would be filled from lists of names that the political parties advertised to the public before the election was held. There will be no surprises.

Independent Candidates

As regards the status of persons who wish to contest electoral districts as independent candidates there will be no impediment to the existing system that will continue to permit persons to stand for election as independent candidates in any electoral district. Naturally, the rule that disqualifies a Councillor from being an Alderman will apply, but Independent candidates are more than welcome to stand for election as Councillors.

It is important that this reform to the method by which Aldermen are to be chosen in all of the local government Councils is implemented before the next local government election. Permit me to quote from former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan who stated in 2006 that “…participatory governance, based on the will of the people, is the best path to freedom, growth and development.”

Urge all parties to support this historical change

I look forward to the support of all parties in this House for the measure which will strengthen our democracy and allow the electorate greater control over those who are put forward to serve as both Councillors and Aldermen by ensuring that every vote will now count and no vote will ever be wasted again in any local government election in this country because people may feel that their party does not have a chance to win in their district.

This measure is designed to empower our voters and enhance citizen participation in all elections.

Let me end by saying that Local Government Elections will be held on Monday, October 21, 2013.

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Nobel Blogging: Demokrissy trends with global think tanks https://goo.gl/8cVB8g

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My Collision with Stephen Hawkins: https://goo.gl/Fx47Ak

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Authors Tete-aTete Dr Kris Rampersad and Sir VS Naipaul https://goo.gl/gU11Jv

Noble Tears of a Nobel Bard Death of Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott https://goo.gl/WXbMpv

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Demokrissy: Wave a flag for a party rag...Choosing the Emperor's ...
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Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Demokrissy - Blogger
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Oct 14, 2013 They are announcing some political meeting or the other; and begging for my vote, and meh road still aint fix though I hear all parts getting box drains and thing, so I vex. So peeps, you know I am a sceptic so help me decide. http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian
Jun 15, 2010 T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian · T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 8:20 AM · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
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Oct 21, 2013 Ain't Trini politics d BEST! Nobody fighting because they lose. All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age - Demokrissy
Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
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Jul 30, 2013 Wherever these breezes have passed, they have left in their wake wide ranging social and political changes: one the one hand toppling long time leaders with rising decibels from previously suppressed peoples demanding a ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Reform, Conform, Perform or None of the Above cross ...
Oct 25, 2013 Some 50 percent did not vote. The local government elections results lends further proof of the discussion began in Clash of Political Cultures: Cultural Diversity and Minority Politics in Trinidad and Tobago in Through The ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Sounds of a party - a political party
Oct 14, 2013 They are announcing some political meeting or the other; and begging for my vote, and meh road still aint fix though I hear all parts getting box drains and thing, so I vex. So peeps, you know I am a sceptic so help me decide. http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian
Jun 15, 2010 T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian · T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 8:20 AM · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Related:
Demokrissy: To vote, just how we party … Towards culturally ...
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Demokrissy: DEADLOCK: Sign of things to come
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Demokrissy: The human face of constitutional reform
Oct 16, 2013 Sheilah was clearly and sharply articulating the deficiencies in governmesaw her: a tinymite elderly woman, gracefully wrinkled, deeply over with concerns about political and institutional stagnation but brimming over with ... http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: Trini politics is d best
Oct 21, 2013 Ain't Trini politics d BEST! Nobody fighting because they lose. All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
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Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
Demokrissy: T&T politics: A new direction? - Caribbean360 Oct 01, 2010 http://kris-rampersad.blogspot.com/
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It is placing increasing pressure for erasure of barriers of geography, age, ethnicity, gender, cultures and other sectoral interests, and in utilising the tools placed at our disposal to access our accumulate knowledge and technologies towards eroding these superficial barriers. In this context, we believe that the work of UNESCO remains significant and relevant and that UNESCO is indeed the institution best positioned to consolidate the ..... The Emperor's New Tools ...
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Demokrissy: Cutting edge journalism
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The Emperor's New Tools. Loading... AddThis. Bookmark and Share. Loading... Follow by Email. About Me. My Photo · Kris Rampersad. Media, Cultural and Literary Consultant, Facilitator, Educator and Practitioner. View my ...
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