A referendum is a very rare occurrence in the Caribbean. Britain holding a referendum on breaking from the European Union should be a lesson for the globe, particularly Jamaica and the Anglophone Caribbean — have a national vote on any major decision such as constitutional matter, Caribbean Court of Justice, local government reform, treaties, etc. Politicians from the region seem to be afraid to consult voters when it comes to how the countries should be governed.

In the UK, parliament itself did not decide to hold a vote among its members to break from Europe, as Caribbean countries tend to do for major decision-making in the region. Instead, the British prime minister and his Government decided to seek the voice of the entire nation on whether they should exit from the European Union.

It is no accident that almost all of the democracies of the European Union also held a vote (referendum) on whether they should join the grouping or accept the euro as the national currency. And Britain held a referendum in 1975 on whether to join the union (European Community).

Last June’s vote reversed that earlier decision to join the union. Britain also held a vote on whether Scotland should secede from the United Kingdom, with voters narrowly rejecting a break-up. Where in the Caribbean has a similar Brexit vote been undertaken on any issue? Will Jamaica ever hold a referendum on constitutional reforms? Will Trinidad and Tobago ever hold a referendum on constitutional reforms?

Was any national vote ever held on forming or joining Caricom by any of its 13 members? I have heard of only one territory having a national poll on breaking from the Privy Council and/or establishing or joining the Caribbean Court of Justice. No vote was ever held on Caricom members obtaining independence from Britain; and in other territories where such a vote was held, people rejected independence.

No vote was ever held in the region on constitutional reform (except the rigged referenda in Burnham Guyana in 1978). St Vincent is about the only country that had a vote on constitutional reform, and whether to replace the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice; the voters said no. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has long wanted to stop referring to his Government as “Her Majesty’s” and The Queen as head of State. So he simply passed an Act in parliament. He did not want to go down the road of a referendum fearing another defeat of five years ago.

Governments in the region promised a vote on the Caribbean Court of Justice. That will never happen, as politicians fear the voice of the people. In Jamaica and Trinidad, the governments recognise voters will reject the Caribbean Court of Justice as a replacement for the Privy Council. In Guyana, the Government does not want to hold a referendum on embracing the fraudulent Burnham Constitution or acquiescing to the Caribbean Court of Justice, or even replacing the British-imposed independence constitution. Even the chief justice of Guyana said constitutional changes must be done by referendum, but the Government does not want to go down that road. Instead, the Government wants the court to approve constitutional changes suggested by parliament.

Barbados failed to hold a promised referendum on the Caribbean Court of Justice. Ditto Belize! Jamaica’s former Government did not want to take a risk on holding a vote of the Caribbean Court of Justice because opinion polls revealled majority rejection. The sitting Government has not shown much interest.

Why are regional politicians so afraid of the voice of the people? These same politicians go around deceiving the people, telling them the voice of the people is the voice of God. So why aren’t they asking the people for their voice in a referendum on constitutional matters and major decision-making? Is it that they fear the outcome would be opposite to what they want?

Let the majority of people, not the self-serving members in parliament, decide what is collectively best for the nation.

vishnupar@aol.com