A Constitution for Everyman

(CNS): Anyone baffled by the language of the proposed constitution can now read a version of it written in layman’s terms. An electronic version of the Explanatory Guide – the ‘reader-friendly’ document that explains the new provisions of the new Draft Constitution – was released last Friday, 20 March, and is available online. Printed copies will be out next Friday, 3 April, as a special newspaper insert and will also be available at various outlets, including post offices, public libraries and supermarkets.

The 2009 Draft Constitution Explanatory Guide has been issued by the Constitutional Review Secretariat (CRS), with the aim of ensuring that all residents understand the differences between the 1972 Constitution and the proposed updated version, which will be the subject of the national referendum on 20 May.

Encouraging public use of this new tool, CRS Director Suzanne Bothwell, said, “This is an important aspect of our public awareness package. While some people will want to study the entire Draft Constitution, other people have expressed that they simply want a working knowledge of the process. This Explanatory Guide, which is written in layman’s language, should therefore be a useful public education tool.”

The CRS is conducting other public education initiatives in conjunction with Government Information Services and the local media. These include weekly radio appearances, newspaper ads, web updates and public service announcements.

“I encourage people to get a copy of the guide and prepare themselves for the ‘yes-or-no’ constitution vote in the May referendum,” Bothwell added.

For more information on the constitution review process, contact the Constitutional Review Secretariat in Elizabethan Square, or call -244-3605, or visit its website, www.constitution.gov.ky.