{"id":190344,"date":"2023-11-15T07:32:38","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T11:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=190344"},"modified":"2023-11-15T07:32:38","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T11:32:38","slug":"symister-says-abuse-of-powers-by-the-prime-minister-highlights-need-for-reform-of-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/symister-says-abuse-of-powers-by-the-prime-minister-highlights-need-for-reform-of-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"Symister says abuse of powers by the prime minister highlights need for reform of Constitution"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div>

REAL NEWS:<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

Urgent calls are being made for constitution reform as it relates to
\nthe powers vested in a prime minister.<\/p>\n

Many residents believe the rights accorded to the head of
\ngovernment are far too extensive and that Prime Minister Gaston
\nBrowne has been abusing his authority to intimidate and otherwise
\nvictimize individuals.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

During their industrial action staged on Monday, November 13,
\nsome employees of the Antigua Port Authority claimed that Browne
\nhas been using his influence to stymie negotiations with the Antigua
\nTrades and Labour Union (AT&LU), since, for four years, they have
\nbeen trying to work out a collective bargaining agreement.
\nThe AT&LU is known to have a degree of affiliation with the ruling
\nAntigua Labour Party Administration.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

Meanwhile, attorney-at-law Leon Chaku Symister says it appears
\nthat even the powers to call a General Election and to appoint a date
\nfor swearing in a new member of the Lower House are being abused
\nby Browne.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, Symister says it will require some changes to the
\nConstitution to address this situation and to curtail the powers of a
\nprime minister.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

He believes that giving such sweeping powers to this single individual is one of the weaknesses in the country\u2019s Supreme Law.<\/p>\n

Symister, the United Progressive Party (UPP) spokesperson on legal issues, says the UPP is therefore committed to Constitution reform
\nand pledges to address this once elected to public office.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

REAL NEWS: Urgent calls are being made for constitution reform as it relates to the powers vested in a prime minister. Many residents believe the rights accorded to the head of government are far too extensive and that Prime Minister Gaston Browne has been abusing his authority to intimidate and otherwise victimize individuals. During their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":114736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSymister says abuse of powers by the prime minister highlights need for reform of Constitution - Antigua News Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/symister-says-abuse-of-powers-by-the-prime-minister-highlights-need-for-reform-of-constitution\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Symister says abuse of powers by the prime minister highlights need for reform of Constitution\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"REAL NEWS: Urgent calls are being made for constitution reform as it relates to the powers vested in a prime minister. 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