CONSTITUTIONAL EDUCATION NEEDED

Congratulations to the Industrial Court of this country for the ruling promoting rights of employees to organise and to strike.

It is always good to see our courts promoting the respect for human rights. This is a breath of fresh air because such judgments have had to come from the Judiciary. I am, however, waiting for an appeal from government and will wait with bated breath on what the outcome of the appeal will be. My concern, though, is still with the knowledge of what is contained in our Constitution. What troubles me more is that our parliamentarians are demonstrating lack of knowledge of what the Constitution provides. My concern is that these people are the ones who are to pass laws that help in its implementation. If they do not know the Constitution, then what laws are they going to pass?

Some parliamentarians seem to be from Utopia and not the communities we all come from. If they were from these communities they would know the dire needs of the people of this country. I think it is time we interrogate the idea that a person should possess a certain qualification before he or she can be elected into Parliament. This is because the Constitution is interpreted in our language and there is no reason one cannot read it.

It is a provision of the Constitution that as a country we should strive for a more secure democracy that will assure the basic necessities of life to the people is a fundamental duty of the State. Health is one of the fundamental necessities of life and the State should strive to provide it to every liSwati. As a country we should be trying to make sure that such is accessible to every person irrespective of his or her background or class in society. The poor people of this country should easily access health services because it is the duty of the State to provide them. But the people whom are supposed to make sure that such is achieved are the ones working against it.

I was flabbergasted to hear that a senator had the audacity to say fees for accessing health services should be increased. Where is this person from? I am not sure he is from this country where people are still failing to pay for the fee he wants increased? Is he not aware that government hospitals are failing to provide the necessary drugs to people? Is this person aware that it is the government he is serving that is duty bound to provide the drugs? The Constitution further provides that the State shall take all practical measures to ensure the provision of basic health care services to the population. While providing the health care services, the State must not compromise on the quality of the services. In my opinion, therefore, the State should be striving to improve the quality of the services in health institutions because the quality is poor.

If our Parliament wants to make health services more expensive, it will mean there would be less access to same. Lack of access to these services will mean the conditions of life for many will not improve. Yet the Constitution, in Section 59, provides that the State will undertake an even development of all regions and in particular improving the conditions of life in rural areas. I do not want to believe that increasing health fees will enhance the improvement of life. Instead this is going to make things worse for the people of this country, not only in rural areas but the country at large. There are no increments for civil servants yet our parliamentarians want service fees to sky-rocket if the suggestion of this senator is anything to go by.
It is for these reasons that I feel government is not doing enough to educate the people of this country on the Constitution.

If senators are not aware of the provisions of the Constitution and make such submissions, then it is a concern to me. Our government should invest in such. I have mentioned it before that such bodies or structures like the Human Rights Commission should be adequately funded so that they perform this necessary task. Funding these bodies is also provided in the Constitution. Government is supposed to make sure that it adequately funds them as they have a lot of work to do. But who will urge government to adequately fund them if parliamentarians are not aware of the provisions of the Constitution. In my opinion there is a need to educate people on the Constitution. This will help educate those going to Parliament on what they have to do once they get to the House. It is embarrassing that the people who are supposed to uphold the Constitution are not aware of its provisions.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: