All Wales Convention, Carmarthen
Tomorrow’s Wales member Cynog Dafis was present at the All Wales Convention’s public meeting in Carmarthen yesterday evening. Below is his report of the event.
A good crowd – over 100 – came together for a discussion group session (tables of about 10) – but discussion groups didn’t happen. Broad age range and good mix of Welsh and non-Welsh speakers. Four Commissioners were present: Paul O’Shea, Paul Valerio, Meryl Gravell, Aled Evans. Meryl Gravell chaired – ‘We’re not a Yes campaign and we’re not a No campaign’.
Paul O’Shea opened with a presentation on Part 3 And Part 4 – he was preparing his notes when I arrived at 5.45 for a 6.30 start. He described the choice between Parts 3 and 4 as either getting the powers gradually or in a ‘big bang’. It seems incredible that the Convention has not prepared an effective visual presentation on the key issues.
As a result the open-mike session that followed lacked focus and clarity (apart of course for the CY intervention!). But the contributions from the floor were unanimously in favour of legislative powers – and more, including independence. The Town Mayor in his official welcome set the tone: a patriotic and powerful oration expressing total support and highly critical of those who want to turn the clock back. On independence he said, ‘If in the future a majority of the people of Wales want this, then so be it, but that is not the subject to be considered tonight’. It may well be that this establish a positive momentum and that any sceptical voices were stilled from the outset.
The floor contributions were rhetorical in quality. The two most interesting were (1) a woman who asked what checks and balances there would be in the Welsh system (Paul Valerio replied rather vaguely) (2) a representative of the civil servants’ union who spoke strongly in favour and referred to the closure of social security offices.
Then we were invited to jot comments on bits of paper which were then stuck up on boards. But Meryl Gravell announced that they were far too many to summarise and report back to the meeting.
To summarise:
(1) A remarkably positive atmosphere on legislative powers
(2) Serious deficiencies in the format and nature of the meeting as an opportunity to enlighten the public and hold an intelligent debate.
Having said all this it is evident that the Convention is operating in diverse ways. Emyr Parry Jones met 6th formers at two schools yesterday and Paul Valerio will be attending a tea dance next week.
Tags: All-Wales Convention