The constitutional systems of the Commonwealth Caribbean : a contextual analysis / Derek O'Brien.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Brien, Derek (Law professor), author.

Series:

Constitutional systems of the world

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Constitutional law--Caribbean Area.

Constitutional law--Commonwealth countries.

Constitutional law--West Indies, British.

Constitutional law.

Commonwealth countries.

Caribbean Area.

Physical Description:

xxviii, 299 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Oxford, United Kingdom ; Portland, Oregon : Hart Publishing, 2014.

Contents:

1 Constitutional History 9

Part I Background 9

Part II Colonial Government 11

A The 'Representative System' 11

B 'Crown Colony Rule' 16

C Federation 21

Part III Independence 26

A The Decolonisation Process 26

B The Independence Constitutions 29

1 The Westminster Model' 29

2 Bills of Rights 32

Conclusion 34

2 The Head of State 37

Part I Background 37

Part II The Crown as Head of State 39

Part III The Constituional Framework 43

A Functions of the Head of State 43

B Appointment and Removal of Governors

General and Presidents 48

1 Governors General 48

2 Presidents 51

Part IV Judicial Review of the Constitutional Functions of Presidents and Governors General 54

A Susceptibility to Judicial Review 55

1 Common Law 55

2 Immunity Clauses 57

3 Ouster Clauses 59

B Justiciability 62

Conclusion 64

3 Electoral Systems 67

Part I Background 67

Part II Electoral Systems 68

A 'First Past the Post' (FPTP) 68

B Guyana and the 'Party List' System 73

Part III Management and Administration of Elections 80

A Constituency Boundaries Commission (CBC) 80

B Electoral Management Bodies 87

Part IV Financing of Political Parties and Access to the Media 92

A Regulating the Financing of Political Parties and Election Campaigns 93

B Regulating Access to the Media 96

Conclusion 98

4 The Executive 101

Part I Introduction 101

Part II The Prime Minister and the Cabinet 102

A The Prime Minister 102

1 Appointment and Removal 102

2 Powers 106

B The Cabinet 110

1 Appointment and Removal of Ministers 110

2 Functions of Ministers 112

C Ministerial Accountability 114

1 Collective Responsibility 114

2 Individual Ministerial Responsibility 118

D Guyana: From Executive Presidency to Semi-Presidentialism 122

Part III The Public Service 126

A Public Service Commissions (PSCs) 127

B Independence, Racial Divisions, Ideological Differences and the Problems of Small Island States 129

C New Public Management (NPM) 134

1 Executive Agencies 135

2 Privatisaion of Public Services 136

Conclusion 138

5 Parliament 141

Part I Introduction 141

Part II Membership and Structural Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Parliaments 141

A Members of Parliament (MPs) 142

1 Elected Members 142

2 Nominated Members 146

B Leader of the Opposition 149

C The Speaker 152

D Privileges of Parliament 156

1 Freedom of Speech 157

2 Control of Parliamentary Affairs 160

E Regulating the Financial Interests of MPs 164

Part III Parliament's Law-Making Powers 171

A The Law-Making Process 171

B Constraints on Parliament's Law-Making Powers 172

1 Procedural Limitations 173

2 Substantive Limitations 176

Part IV Scrutiny of the Executive 181

A Scrutiny of Policy and Administration 182

B Financial Scrutiny 185

1 Auditors General 185

2 Public Accounts Committees (PACs) 187

Conclusion 190

6 The Constituional Role of the Courts 193

Part I Background 193

Part II Judicial Independence: National Courts and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) 196

A Appointment of Judges 197

B Removal of Judges 202

C Terms and Conditions of Service 206

D Political Culture 208

Part III The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) 211

A The Debate about the CCJ's Appellate Jurisdiction 211

1 Funding of the CCJ 214

2 Appointment and Removal of the CCJ's Judges 215

3 Constitutional Entrenchment of the CCJ 217

B The Prospects for the CCJ's Appellate Jurisdiction 219

Part IV Constitutional Review 220

A Locating the Juridical Basis for Constituional Review 221

B Bills of Rights and Constitutional Review 224

1 The Presumption of Constitutionality 225

2 Saving Clauses and the 'Nasralla Presumption' 229

3 The 'Purposive Approach' 233

4 Tensions between the 'Purposive Approach' and the 'Nasralla Presumption' 233

5 Whither Savings Clauses? 236

Conclusion 237

7 The Constituional Implications of Regional Integration 241

Part I Background 241

Part II Institutional Structure of CARICOM, Mode of Governance and the 'Original' Jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) 243

A Organs of the Community 244

B Mode of Governance 247

1 Decision-Making and Voting Procedures 247

2 Sources of Law 248

C Original Jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) 251

1 Proceedings by Individuals 251

2 The Reference of Disputes by a National Court under Article 214 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) 254

3 Incorporation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguarmas (RTC) 256

Part III The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) 257

A The Treaty of Basseterre (ToB) 259

B The Revised Treaty of Basseterre (RTB) 260

Conclusion 264

8 Post-Independence Constituional Reform 267

Part I Introduction 267

Part II The Case for Constitutional Reform 268

A Democratic Governance 268

B The Legacy of Colonial Rule 270

Part III Obstacles to Constituional Reform 271

Part IV The Jamaica Charter of Rights and Freedoms 275.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781849461528

184946152X

OCLC:

864278926

Publisher Number:

99959076450