In the article “Time to reform the method of appointing Governor-General” published by this newspaper on 5 April, the Grenada Monarchist League presented our proposal for reforms to the appointment system of the Governor-General, which has previously been submitted to the government of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
With the approach of this year’s State Opening of Parliament and Throne Speech traditionally held in September or October, we find it necessary to reiterate our call for the government to announce the Privy Council (Establishment) Bill, as presented to the government, in the upcoming legislative programme of the speech.
At present the Governor-General, the representative in Grenada of our head of state, His Majesty The King, is appointed by His Majesty on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Governor-General, as The King’s representative, holds vital constitutional duties and responsibilities, such as appointing and dismissing the Prime Minister, proroguing and dissolving parliament, giving assent to legislation, and appointing the Supervisor of Elections. These powers are not just theatrical or ceremonial; the constitution provides for circumstances where the Governor-General can and must act independently as the guardian of our constitutional order and moderator of the political system.
The present constitutional arrangements, wherein the Prime Minister advises the King on appointments of Governors-General, are thus not ideal. While the King has the power to reject and check prime ministerial advice, our process still grants the Prime Minister too much power and influence over the office of Governor-General — an office which is in fact meant to check the Prime Minister. This influence weakens our constitutional balance of power and should be rectified.
The Privy Council (Establishment) Bill, which the league has presented to the government and hopes is included in the Throne Speech, would rectify this current constitutional imbalance. The bill will establish a Grenadian Privy Council to advise the King on appointments. This council would consist of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, the Chair of the Public Service Commission, the most senior resident judge of the High Court, and 2 independents appointed by the Governor-General after consulting with the Prime Minister, and Opposition Leader. Advice to the King would be made by unanimity.
This bold new method of appointing the Governor-General would assure bipartisan support for all nominees, as well as support from the public service and judiciary. It would also give the sister isles a voice in the process. It would reduce the powers of the Prime Minister, an office long considered far too powerful and dominant in our political system, and instead create a forum where compromise and collaboration are a necessity, to select the ultimate day-to-day representative of the state.
The Office of Governor-General is far too important to be politicised. Not only is the Governor-General the guardian of the constitution and the ultimate backstop against constitutional impropriety by governments, but the office is additionally the highest symbolic representation of the state. The Governor-General is supposed to unify the people across political divides. A truly cross-partisan appointment procedure would ensure this.
The Grenada Monarchist League thus reiterates our call on the government, made in March, to include the Privy Council (Establishment) Bill in the Governor-General’s upcoming Throne Speech.
Grenada Monarchist League
The recommended approach might be an improvement but it is still flawed and not a fix. Under the constitution, the term “Grenada” addresses Carriacou, Petite Martinique and all the parishes so no special provision is required for Carriacou and Petite Martinique in the composition of the proposed Privy Council just because they are separated by water. If Carriacou and Petite Martinique are treated this way, then all of the parishes need to be the same way.
Second, the proposed approach still keeps too much power in the hands of the Prime. After all, who appoints the chair of the public service. To be truly democratic, the people of Grenada should be allow to elect their Governor General. What is the point of electing a government when the Governor General, who has more powers than the government and is head of head Grenada, is being selected without any public input.