Not Again!

Anyone concerned with the rule of law anywhere should be somewhat disturbed by what is reported about the new Constitution of the Dominican Republic. First of all, the mere fact that this is the 31st in the 166 years since it became an independent nation - an average of one Constitution every five - plus years - speaks volumes about that country's stability. Although not meant to be permanent, Constitutions should have a long shelf life, and not be discarded so frequently. They are meant to be the foundation of a society, the supreme law of the land, not a regular statute to be amended every few years.

There are, to be sure, certain disturbing aspects in the document itself that has been adopted. A ban on abortions - even therapeutic ones - harks back to the days when the Catholic Church imposed its theology on secular governments. This step backwards seems rather odd in this day and age, when different moral sensibilities are respected in a pluralistic society.

A provision that would allow private control of traditional public spaces such as beaches and riverbank areas spells trouble for Everyman's access to what little there is to be enjoyed freely in a land that is turning into one big "all - included" resort and playground for the rich and famous. In our case, the Constitution of Puerto Rico decrees that beaches are public, and that hasn't stopped developers and individual owners from attempting to privatize all access to them. One can only imagine what would happen if the Constitution declared otherwise.

Better luck with the 32d!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Belgian Buggery

The Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal won't go away; instead, it keeps growing every day.  Take the story out of Belgium, where a report has been issued that details what went on, including more than a dozen suicides linked to the abuse perpetrated by priests and  a cover up that continues to this day, when a Belgian bishop suggested that a complaint be withheld until 2011, when the bishop who covered up for the offending priest will retire.  With each passing day, it becomes more and more difficult to hold that this behavior was just the work of a few rogue priests.  There are just too many cases all around the world, for anyone to believe such a thing. This is clearly a major problem which the church tried to hide from the authorities and recklessly let it continue, without any regard for children elsewhere, by transferring priests.  There is no excuse for this unpardonable sin.
Read more

Hear, Hear!

Not that it means a whole lot, but, still, the gesture has some significance. After 33 years on the throne, the Dutch queen, at 76, will abdicate in favor of her son. Not subject to election by the vote of her people, she has done the right thing by resigning, so to speak, and letting her son carry on with the royal duties. At 86, and 60 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth would do well to follow this example. Hanging on to the throne at her age and after so many years seems excessive and ungenerous. The same goes for King Juan Carlos, who has just turned 75, and has been on the throne for 37 years. His son will be 45 two days from now, so is already older than his father was when he became King. In Juan Carlos' case, he has, of late, given signs of poor judgment, that could very well be a result of his age. Queen Elizabeth and King Juan Carlos should follow Queen Beatrix 's example.
Read more

Chinese Capitalism

The fact that Asia now boasts of having the biggest number of millionaires in the world is a sign of the times. The predictions of a few years ago have come true: China is the world's next superpower, and the increasing wealth of its economic elite shows it. The sleeping dragon has awakened.
Read more