General News of Friday, 19 April 2013
Source: radioxyzonline.com
A Retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice V.C.R.A.C Crabbe has stated that the country’s constitution and legal framework can’t protect its democracy.
According to him, it takes only selfless and responsible citizens to sustain democratic governance.
The former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) was delivering a lecture to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ghana’s constitutional rule.
The lecture was on the topic: “Democratic Governance in Ghana: How Political Polarisation may be abated”. The lecture was organised by the Centre for Democratic Development, a think-tank in collaboration with Friedrich Nuamann STIFTUNG and Kaiser Permanente Medical Group.
Justice Crabbe said the activities of some politicians have left the country so polarised adding that when political parties win elections, only party faithful become citizens of the country while others become foreign nationals.
The retired Supreme Court Judge added that NDC and NPP MPs have entered into a marriage of convenience and agree on anything when they want salary increments, car loans and other things they claim enhance their jobs but seem to litigate in the public eye to paint the picture as if they are enemies.
“Our destructive tendencies or polarisation has led the gross inefficiency in our public life and in the public services,” Justice Crabbe said.
He added: “It appears to some of us that some of members of parliament have entered into a convenient form of marriage by which the NDC and the NPP populate by night and litigate by day.
“They discus salaries and financial business behind closed doors and boycott the sittings of parliament in broad day light,” he stressed.