In a move that defies the wishes of the people, the House of Assembly has rejected two thirds of the recommendations made by the Constitutional Reform Committee, set up for constitutional advancement of the Territory.
Of the fifty-seven recommendations, sixteen were accepted, nineteen were accepted with modifications, and twenty-two were not accepted, with alternative recommendations provided.
Twenty-two recommendations resulted in proposed constitutional amendments. However, the remaining thirty-five, the House of Assembly during Committee Stage concluded, did not require constitutional amendment and will be addressed, where action is required, through ordinary legislation, Standing Orders, or policy and administrative measures, or otherwise by retaining the existing arrangements with no further action proposed.
Some recommendations rejected by the House of Assembly include;
- Voting for Premier and Deputy Premier. The Constitutional Review Commission recommended revising the leadership selection model so that the Premier and Deputy Premier are selected from the pool of elected at-large Members. Rejected by the HOA in committee stage
- Term limits for Premier. The Constitutional Review Commission recommended that the question of term limits for the Premier be determined by referendum. This was fully rejected by the HOA during Committee Stage.
- Voting for Attorney General. Rejected by both the constitutional review committee and the HOA.
- Voting for Ministers. Rejected by both the constitutional review committee and the HOA.
- Public hearings for committee stage of the HOA and other committees
- Recall provisions for elected members of the HOA. The HOA in committee stage, did not view recall as an appropriate constitutional or legislative mechanism.
- Grounds to Remove Ministers (Other than Recall). Rejected by the HOA in committee stage. Opted instead to hold themselves accountable.
The HOA in its committee stage, opted to hold themselves accountable and acted in ‘their’ best interest, as opposed to imposing framework in the new Constitution as requested by the people, and suggested by the Constitutional Review Commission.
The Constitutional Review Commission, chaired by Lisa Penn-Lettsome, was stablished in July 2022 to conduct a comprehensive review of the 2007 Constitution.
The report was submitted to Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley, in November 2023.
Guavaberry Media will continue to review the report which was released to the public yesterday, Thursday 9 April 2026, and bring further information forward.