DAVID COORE, who helped draft the Jamaican Constitution 47 years ago, says it should be amended to prevent British Commonwealth citizens from serving in Jamaica's Parliament after living in the country for only one year.

"At this stage of our development, that's too generous," Coore told The Gleaner at a function honouring People's National Party (PNP) legislators on Wednesday. "I'm not in favour of expanded eligibility, but contracting it, as is the case in other countries."

Coore said the current eligibility clause was appropriate in 1961 when the Constitution was drafted. An amendment to that section, he added, would be timely.

Limit eligibility

"We had just come out of (West Indian) Federation when a Commonwealth citizen could run for the British parliament, but now the practice (in other Common-wealth countries) is to limit eligibility," the former Jamaica deputy prime minister said.

The 82-year-old Coore was one of more than 30 persons who represented the PNP in the House of Representatives and Senate, who were awarded plaques for their service during the function held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Dudley Thompson, the former National Security Minister, who served West Central St Andrew and West St Andrew in parliament, was also honoured.