Reformers hail chance to check charter draft
NATIONAL REFORM Council (NRC) members yesterday hailed the Constitution Drafting Committee's (CDC) decision to allow the NRC to check proposed charter provisions in regard to reform and political chapters to ensure that they provide answers to the countr
The parts in question include chapter 2 on good political leaders and political institutions, chapter 4 on reform and reconciliation. For Chapter 2, only the first section on a good representative system and good political leaders will be given to the NRC for checking. While from chapter 4, section one and section two on bridging disparities and ensuring justice including achieving reconciliation will be given to the NRC for checking.
The CDC has decided that all the NRC’s 18 panels should scrutinise these provisions, prior to the drafters’ final deliberation.
Seri Suwanpanont, chairman of the NRC panel on the law and justice system, said he would receive the charter draft tomorrow and finish checking the draft by Friday. He believed the provisional charter draft regarding the law and justice system should be improved because it was too wordy and repetitive. Legislative procedures for Parliament must be concise, fast and efficient.
“The CDC’s decision to let us check is good but the question is whether it will accept our proposals to change the draft. The charter should not be just beautifully written but have the essence to tackle the country’s problems,’’ Seri said.
Saree Ongsomwang, chair of the NRC panel on consumer protection, said the CDC’s decision was appropriate and aimed at getting support from the reform council.
Sombat Thamrongthunya-wong from the NRC’s panel on political reform said his panel would be happy to check the draft immediately but noted that the CDC must be able to give reasons if it rejects proposals from his panel.
He said the CDC had incorporated provisions to evaluate performances of members of independent agencies and high ranking officials. However, his panel had proposed that the charter should include provisions to evaluate the performance of high-ranking officials of state enterprises and bureaucrats to prevent political interference. Problems reoccurred because politicians often transferred these officials out of their posts without good reason.
Pramon Suteewong, chairman of the NRC panel on fighting graft, said he agreed with the charter drafters’ decision and believed the CDC had incorporated his panel’s proposal to boost the efficiency of graft agencies.
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