THE EDITOR: I was in hospital during much of the period leading up to the deadline for comments/recommendations on our proposed revised constitution. And when I returned home I was weak and not in a condition to engage in this.
However, I have been an activist for much of my adult life, being successful in many meaningful issues. I even had my phone tapped. The poor prime minister at the time and his government considered me a threat. I felt quite honoured actually!
Anyway, to the matter at hand – our proposed revised constitution. I list briefly a sort of postscript to the submissions, written on the closing day – Tuesday.
I have limited my comments to the Parliament, Senate and elected (and non-elected "stormers"):
1. No person, standing for Parliament and being rejected by the electorate, can subsequently be appointed to the Senate. These people are rejectees.
2. No elected Member of Parliament can be granted cabinet ministerial post. These people are elected to serve their constituents and will be given suitable quality office space and staff.
3. The Senate will have no parliamentary rejectees. The victorious party will appoint senators (not losers) from whom cabinet ministers will be selected and appointed. The Cabinet will have a set/specified number of members, eg: attorney general, ministers of national security, works, health, education, public utilities, and agreed upon others to fulfil the requirements of governing our country, including a couple of "floating ministers" to serve as and when needed.
4. The opposition will appoint a lesser agreed number of senators, none of whom will come from losers in their ranks.
These simple recommendations will greatly improve the quality and integrity of our governance, remove dishonesty and incompetence, especially from the current crop of "cabinet ministers" who do nothing for their constituents who put them there.
It is my sincere hope that these brief recommendations will help to remove the current deadwood who no one elected, but who live high on the hog, paid by us.
PETER O'CONNOR
peteroco@gmail.com
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