A Suggested Party Constitution
A Glimpse into 1961
By Peter Ibbotson
As promised (in last week’s edition), here is an outline of a suggested constitution for a popularly based Labour Party with local organisations in every constituency. But first, a few comments.
The first thing that any constitution must do is to state the name and objects of the organisation whose constitution it is. A Labour or Socialist party will, however, have two sets of objects — national and international. If the party is to be popularly based, clearly its membership must be based on individual affiliation, and the membership fee must be within the ability to pay of all who wish to join. Safeguards must obviously exist to prevent the infiltration of people who are antagonistic to the party’s aims and objects. But there are always other organisations whose aims are broadly in sympathy with the aims of the political party, and the constitution must therefore provide the opportunity for such organisations to affiliate on a group basis.
The popular basis of membership must be reflected in the method of choosing the party’s national executive committee or other governing body, and in provisions for annual conferences at which members are represented on a constituency basis, with affiliated organizations also represented.
Party discipline must also be established and observed, and the constitution should also contain provision for this.
Bearing in mind the foregoing remarks, I tentatively put forward the following as a possible draft constitution for a popularly based Labour Party — one whose organisation on a constituency basis could do for the Mauritius Labour Party what similar careful organisation has done for the People’s Progressive Party (British Guiana), the People’s United Party (British Honduras), the Barbados Labour Party, the People’s National Party (Jamaica), the Convention People’s Party (Ghana), and so on. For the benefit of those who don’t know what organisation has done for these parties, I will repeat what I have said in these columns several times in the past — it has firmly secured these parties in the political life of the various colonies, giving them virtually unassailable majorities in the territorial Legislative Councils, and ensuring for them the overwhelming and understanding support of the people. It is because the Mauritius Times wishes to see the continued parliamentary success of the Mauritius Labour Party that it puts forward for public discussion these suggestions of mine:
Name
The Party shall be known as and called the Mauritus Labour Party.
Aims and Objects (National)
Independence and the development of Mauritius on the basis of Socialism.
– To serve as the vigorous conscious political vanguard for the establishment of a democratic socialist society and the removal of all forms of oppression.
– To work with, and in the interest of, the trade union movement and other kindred organisations in joint political actions.
– To promote the political, social and economic emancipation of the people, especially those who depend on their own work (either by hand or by brain) for their means of life.
– To provide equality of opportunity for all and the abolition of capitalist exploitation.
Aims and Objects (International)
To work with other democratic socialist and nationalist movements all over the world with a view to abolishing colonialism, racialism, tribalism, and all forms of social and racial oppression and discrimination. To seek to abolish economic inequality among nations. To work for world peace. To affiliate to the Socialist International.
Membership
There shall be two classes of membership, individual and affiliated. Individual members shall be aged 16 or over and must accept the aims and objects of the Party. They shall be ineligible for Party membership, however, if they support racialism, or are members of any other political party, or of any other organisation whose aims are inconsistent with those of the Labour Party. Application for membership shall be made on the duly prescribed form for consideration by the appropriate constituency committee. On enrolment, every member receives a membership and dues card. Enrolment fee shall be R. 1.00; dues shall be Rs 4.00 a year (if paid in one lump sum) or 35 cents a month if paid monthly.
Affiliated members shall consist of organisations whose aims are compatible with those of the Party, and shall include such organisations as trade unions, planters’ organisations, co-operative societies and associations, youth and sports organisations, women’s organisations, etc. They must be, in the opinion of the National Executive of the Party, bona fide organisations, and if they wish to affiliate must send to the National Executive a resolution to that effect signed by their President and General Secretary. Affiliated organisations shall pay an annual affiliation fee of Rs 20 for affiliation to the national Labour Party; branches wishing to affiliate with particular constituency organisations shall pay local affiliations fees out of their branch funds.
Funds
These to be derived from affiliation fees, donations, appeals, bequests, profits on sale of literature, proceeds of social functions, monthly and annual dues, etc. Income from affiliation fees and dues shall be divided between the national and the local organisation in the proportion 60 : 40. All other income shall accrue to the branch receiving the income. All funds to be banked, withdrawable only on the joint signatures of the Chairman and Secretary or Treasurer.
National Annaul Conference
To be held annually (in an intercrop month, say March) at a date and place to be decided by the National Executive. Its composition to be as follows: delegates from each affiliated organisation, 2 for the first thousand members, plus 1 for every 500 additional members or part of 500 members where the part exceeds 250; with a minimum of 2 delegates in any case. 8 delegates from every constituency. Ex officio members who shall include all Party Members of the Legislative Council who shall not be allowed to vote unless they are also accredited members of a constituency or affiliated organisation.
Qualification of Conference Delecates
All must accept the Party’s constitution and aims. They must be bona fide members of their organisation, or paid officials in the case of affiliated organisations. No one to be a delegate from more than one organisation. No one shall be a delegate whose dues have not been paid up-to-date at the time of the conference.
Powers of Conference
To lay down the basic programme and policy of the Party for the ensuing year. Decisions of Conference to be binding on all members of affiliated organisations. To receive and consider the Treasurer’s financial report. To elect members of the National Executive Committee: deputy chairman, one representive from each constituency, two youth representatives (aged under 2l), two women representatives and five representatives from affiliated organisations. Other members may be co-opted. Ex officio members shall be the Party’s general secretary, treasurer, propaganda secretary, and Central Committee.
National Executive Committee
Shall carry out the policy and programme as laid down at Conference. Shall organise constituency parties and supervise their work. Shall enforce the constitution and rules of the Party and take disciplinary action (including expulsion) against members or affiliated organisations if deemed necessary. (Such action to be reported to the next annual conference to which appeals shall lie from the member(s) or organisation(s) concerned. To maintain accounts and present annual report of accounts to Conference. To approve candidates for Legislative, Municipal and Town Council elections from names submitted by constituency party committees. Meetings shall be held at least once a month and decisions taken shall be reported without delay to constituency party secretary.
Central Committee
The Central Committee of the National Executive shall consist of the Party Leader (who shall be elected from among the Labour MLC’s by his Parliamentary colleagues) and 8 members chosen by him in his absolute discretion, with 4 members elected by Annual Conference. The Central Committee shall see that decisions of the National Executive are carried out, shall meet once a week, and shall supervise the organisation and administrative machinery of the Party at all levels.
Constituency Party Organisation
The Constituency Party is the basic organisation of the Party but may establish branch sub-parties where necessary or desirable. Each Constituency Party shall be administered by a Constituency Executive Committee which shall be elected annually at a general meeting of the Constituency Party. Each Constituency Party shall hold an annual conference open to all members (to be called the general meeting) as early as possible in January. The Constituency Executive, to be elected at these annual meetings, shall consist of not less than 10 elected members plus a Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Propaganda Secretary, all of whom shall be selected by the National Executive and shall be known as the Officers of the Constituency Party. The Committee to meet fortnightly and a member meeting to be held at least once every month. The Committee and members shall carry out specific duties allotted by the National Executive In addition to their basic task of propaganda and organisational work among the community in order to promote the standing of the Party and the implementation of its policy and programme.
Party Organ
There shall be a monthly paper called the Mauritius Labour News to be issued free of charge to paid-up members.
With a constitution and organization, such as I have outlined, the Labour Party should go from strength to strength. The next step is up to Labour supporters themselves.
8th Year – No 346
Friday 21st April, 1961
Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 2 October 2026
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