Dear Editor,

On October 27, 2016 Grenadians will vote on constitutional change on the question no allegiance to The Queen and a limitation on the time their prime minister spends in Parliament.

I believe this should be a pointer to the two political parties in Jamaica seeing that it has been a long time the two parties have been contemplating constitutional change but have failed to bring it to being.

Over the years Brother Abuna Foxe of the International Ethiopian World Federation Incorporation has been writing articles on the question of constitutional change which he believes would give the 15 per cent of the people who are Rastafarians and grass roots people the chance of an independent senator in Parliament.

Now that Grenada will be voting on constitutional change this should motivate our leaders to make Jamaica the second nation to make this change. If Jamaica is a democracy then this should be the choice it should make.

While writing this article, the people of the Afro-Asia bloc are fighting armed struggle for the right to have a voice in their parliament. Jamaica needs a third-party voice which represents the Rastafarian and grass roots people, because when the business of Jamaica is discussed in Parliament there is no representation for that minority voice, although according to the Representation of the People Act there should be a voice if Jamaica is a democracy.

The 15 per cent of the population who are Rastafarian and grass roots people are appealing to the party leaders to take a leaf with respect from Grenadians’ move on October 27, 2016 and have a serious debate on the subject of constitutional change.

Give thanks.

Tafari Makonnen

himchurchny@yahoo.com