ete) Constitution A constitution is a set of fu At the end of this topic you will Sorte oe mental principles according to which 2 countty is governed and vihich includes laws and guidelines that be able to: ‘ensure that the constitution is upheld. © describe i eee The constitution is the supreme law of Commonwealth Caribbean | Between tizensand © | counties ands enforced by the courts. Al ether laws, rules and [oat regulations have to be cons tent with the constitution. Ifa proposed law is proved to violate the constitution, itis unconstitutional and wall be void. The judicial role protects the constitution and the nights of citizens, and limits the power of government. Provisions within a constitution make it difficult for any government to make any important changes, for example, by requiring a two: thirds majority in parliament in support of the change. Some paris can only be changed through holding a referendum, whch means every eligible citizen may vote on the proposed change A constitution isa contract between the citizens and their government. t outines + the structure of government © the powers of the executive, legislature and judiciary * the rights, freedoms and responsibilities of citizens * the method of choosing a government —Trreedom ot | _* the conditions of citizenship | beer and | * the role of the civil service. | sey ona eon a Democratic and authoritarian governments Freedom of | Democratic government conscience The system of government in Commonwealth Caribbean countries is Freedom of democratic. In a democracy, citizens are allowed to put themselves Lcligion (worship) | forward as parliamentary candidates and to freely vote for their representatives from at least two competing parties. Gitizens can also criticise the government and challenge its decisions, as well as being involved in consultations Authoritarian government {An authoritarian government is one in which decisions are made by {an individual person or by a small group within government. Citizens do not have an opportunity to participate in government decision: making. Decisions can be made without the knowledge or consent of Table 3.10.1 Humsn vghts and tresdoms the citizens.Human rights and freedoms The constitutions of Commonwealth Caribbear countries contain a bill of rights that provide 1 A.constitution is a set of principles and laws by which people agree to be governed 2 The judiciary protects the constitutional rights of citizens. 3 Ina democracy, citizens have a chance to participate in electing government and in political decision-making, 4. In an authoritarian government, decisions are made by one person or a small group of people. 5 A constitution sets outs citizens’ rights and freedoms. 6 The ombudsman investigates allegations of poor performance or administration and reports to parliament. ACTIVITY the off he om many comp 0 the ombud: 2 particular complaint human rights violation ar prepare a brief report EXAM TIP Make sure you art familiar with the righ and freedoms granted iv of rights for your country and also be clear about the steps a citizen ould takes to seek redres: if their human rights are lated, the bilTires id out about the freedom of unity is the legislation f so, how long has it 1 established? If not, when it expected to be enacted? public affairs are conducted ar public resources i order to obtain the best results for a ti ensure that human rights are upheld Participation ting there sh tizens should al Independence of the judiciary The judiciary interprets and administers the laws of a country It m: * review any law passed by the * review actions taken by the execu * deal with chalenges on law or pi 0 citizen’ * act as a check on the other branches of To do this effectively, it must pende rnment bran Transparency Transparency in government * to do with openness, good communications and accountability * assisted by having such thing n meeting Accountability countabilty in govern a government, i ministers and civil servants are accountable to the publi arliament and to the judiciary. Certain allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct may be examined in an inquiry. Sovernments in the Caribbean have established different structure: that have been put in place to ensure transparency and accountat in government. For example, there may be an integrity commissi Responsiveness to the needs of citizens A government is given authority to make decisions and to set goal for the good of the country, which should be in line with the wishe of the citizens of that country. Free and fair democratic elect are a way of ensuring that this happens since, if , theAccess to information Most Commonwealth Caribbean countries have legislation that gives EXAM TIP itizens access to information. The laws usually place an obligation on the government to regularly disclose information to the public and AS well as consideri also to provide specif information when this is equested. Freedom of the ways in wick a information (FO!) laws often apply to any body or organisation that is 6 ae responsible for using or spending public money. edcdorrares emo strates responsibility towards a ‘Accesso informatons seen a5 promoting good govermance Decae IK: country's eittzeee, tre + encourages transparency and accountability examination may want + allows for greater public participation in government decision- You to suggest ways in. making processes which a citizen ean show * strengthens democracy _ responsibility to + is seen as another means of tackling corruption Government avd the Prudent use of resources >=. Good governance is evident when the best possible use is made of + physical resources ~ the matevials a country produces that allow for the manufacture of products to meet a society's basic needs (e.g food, clothing and shelter), to enhance citizens’ quality of life and to raise foreign exchange earnings through exportation + human resources ~ the skill, abilities and creatwvity of the population that can be employed to make the most of a country’s, physical resources, ‘+ financial resources ~ revenues raised through taxation and loans. Efficient civil service Achieving the implementation of government policy uses a large amount of resources and so the functions of the civil service must be carried out efficiently. This can be achieved by: * making maximum use of new technologies ‘+ employing well-qualified personnel who receive ongoing training * carying out regular monitoring of performance. Consultation Although a government is elected to take decisions on behalf of the citizens of a country, there are occasions when public consultation is either required by law or seen to be a matter of good practice. The process of public consultation begins with the government drawing Lp certain proposals. These should then be made available to the public for scrutiny and comment. Public consultation is another means of encouraging political Participation and, therefore, strengthening democracy. Tolerance of freedom of expression Freedom of expression is one of the basic human rights recognised in the bill of eghts in the constitutions of Commonwealth Caribbean countries.