Iceland ‘crowdsources’ Charter change on social media

Amid talks of proposed Charter change (Cha-cha) that just won’t die down in the Philippines, a country half a world away has taken the radical step of "crowdsourcing" their new constitution on social media. Iceland, still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis that crippled its banks and government, has embarked into social media for comments and suggestions in crafting its new constitution. Citizens are welcome to post comments on the draft clauses of the new constitution on the website of the Iceland Constitutional Council (Stjórnlagaráð), as well as its Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr accounts. Oxford Dictionaries Online defines "crowdsourcing" as "the practice whereby an organization enlists a number of freelancers, paid or unpaid, to work on a specific task or problem." Apart from that, their meetings will also be streamed live across the internet. As of posting, the movement has 2,004 fans on Facebook. Iceland’s 25-member Constitutional Council’s move has attracted the attention of international media and global well-wishers alike. The Stjórnlagaráð Facebook page, for instance, is riddled with comments and messages from different nationalities. Iceland’s current constitution was made in 1944 when the country gained freedom Denmark. Cha-cha talks in the Philippines were sparked anew last week when Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Thursday that he wants to revive discussion on the issue. Enrile said that he has been speaking in House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on the need to revisit the economic provisions of the current Philippine constitution, which was ratified in 1987 during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, the mother of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III. The Senate President wants to amend the provision which limits foreign investors’ ownership in Philippine-based companies. "We must release the rigidity and leave it to Congress to decide what are open to foreigners," he said. In comparison, Iceland’s Constitutional Council is tasked to specifically consider "environmental issues, including ownership and management of natural resources." But Malacañang has reiterated that Cha-cha was not the priority of the Aquino administration, saying that the business sector’s concerns have already been addressed which have resulted in increased foreign investments in the country. — MRT/KBK, GMA News