Former PM posits that term limits should be ‘self-regulated’

December 16, 2015 in Regional

Baldwin Spencer-1Former Member of Parliament for St John’s Rural West Baldwin Spencer said self-regulating could be the best fit to address the issue of term limits for elected officials.

Speaking with OBSERVER media, Spencer, who served two terms as prime ministers before his United Progressive Party was removed from government, said he is of the personal view that elected officials should know when it’s time to step aside.

“The normal course of things would say to individuals, and this has to be developed over time, that the natural expectation would be that after a period of time an individual occupying the position of prime minister, for example, either demits office or make arrangements for transition to other leadership,” Spencer said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has been on record for supporting term limits and last week during his address on V C Bird Day, Browne reiterated that he does not wish to rule for more than two terms.

He also urged his Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) colleagues to be prepared to lead when he steps down.