By Balford Henry, Senior Reporter
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson said yesterday a referendum was inevitable to entrench the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Constitution. But it would be more than two years away, after the court was operational.
Mr. Patterson, in closing the seven-month long debate on his resolution, was seeking approval of the agreement to establish the Court and his signing of the agreement on behalf of Jamaica. He was also seeking approval of the House's Internal and External Affairs Committees' majority report supporting the Court.
Government and Opposition Members, except for Jamaica Labour Party's M.P. Mike Henry (Central Clarendon), voted strictly along party lines. Harry Douglas (People's National Party South-east St. Mary) missed the second vote. Leader of Opposition Business, Derrick Smith, called a "divide" on both occasions.
On Mr. Patterson's resolution, there were 24 in favour, seven against and Mr. Henry's abstention. On the second resolution, approving the committee's report, the count was eight against (including Mr. Henry) and 23 for, with Mr. Douglas' absence.
Mr. Patterson, confident of the passage of the resolution before the vote, told the House of Representatives in closing the debate:
"Let us put it as plain as A-B-C. When it comes to the removal of the Privy Council, anybody who is talking about referendum, forget it. It is not on," he said.
"When, however, we come to create the Caribbean Court, having created it, having put it into our Constitution, others also having taken the necessary steps to put it into their constitutions, we all are ready and we now agree that it is something that is existing, something which is permanent, we go to the country and we seek to have it entrenched. Hopefully, by then we can go together," he said.
In a sotto voce exchange which followed, Opposition Leader Edward Seaga asked: "Tell us about the referendum, now?"
Mr. Patterson: "I did. You want to hear it again? You want it before! You're going to get it after."
Mr. Seaga: "Any way we get it, we will take it."
Mr. Patterson told The Gleaner after the sitting that there was no doubt a referendum would, eventually, be necessary to entrench the CCJ in the Constitution. But, he would not commit himself to a time frame.
He said, though, that it was "unlikely" it would be held within the next two years.
