A/HRC/18/15 States. The descendants of the slaveholders, the enslaved and the indigenous lived in peace and relative harmony with each other and with the more recent immigrants from Asia, the Middle East and Europe. 8. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a plural and fully inclusive participatory democracy. Since independence in 1979, it had enjoyed eight free and fair elections and three peaceful transfers of power between opposing political parties. The delegation indicated that the country was host to a boisterous free press – including some media outlets that were highly critical of the Government – and a lively and largely unregulated Internet blogosphere. Freedom of expression and assembly was constitutionally protected and actively practiced in a variety of contexts. Women, youth and various racial and ethnic groups played strong roles in successive Governments of the country. 9. The national Constitution had been adopted in 1979, and had been largely unchanged since then. The Constitution explicitly protected the rights to life, to personal liberty, and to the freedoms of conscience, expression, assembly, association and movement. The Constitution also provided protection from slavery and forced labour, inhuman treatment, deprivation of property, arbitrary search and entry, and discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed, and it secured the protection of the law, including the right to a fair hearing and the presumption of innocence. 10. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unsuccessfully attempted to reform its Constitution in 2009 via a referendum. The proposed constitution was the product of extensive consultations with all stakeholders. It contained a number of innovations and advancements in governance and human rights, including rights relating to employment, political participation, protection of the environment, heritage and culture. The elderly, youth, women, teachers and the press also were to receive additional constitutional recognition and protection. The proposed document would have provided for the creation of a human rights commission and an ombudsman, among other bodies. Unfortunately, the bipartisan effort on constitutional reform had been derailed by political considerations in the lead-up to scheduled elections in 2010, which had contributed to the failure of the referendum. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had accepted the results of the referendum. 11. Like many other Caribbean Community States, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines acknowledged its tardiness in meeting certain reporting commitments under the treaties to which it was a party. The tardiness was a product of practical constraints, not an absence of political will or a diminished commitment to human rights. The preparation for the UPR process had highlighted the fact that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had been tardy in meeting some of its reporting commitments, and one tangible benefit of the UPR was that it had caused the Government to revisit the manner in which Saint Vincent and the Grenadines prepared for and responded to its treaty commitments. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had dedicated legal staff to coordinate the national responses in a more systematic manner and would form a multisectoral committee to review and expedite compliance with its outstanding commitments. In that regard, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines welcomed any technical or capacity-building assistance that might be offered. 12. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the enhancement of human rights was not a sterile legislative process. Rather, it was a holistic approach that was responsive to the needs and demands of its citizens. While it is critical that universal human rights are enjoyed universally, it is often necessary for poor countries to prioritize the legislative means by which such rights are formally recognized. The State’s serious commitment to human rights did not allow for a “checklist approach” or a cosmetic response to legislation. Instead, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines adopted a more forward-looking and positive legislative stance, coupled with a respect for the ability of its courts and common law 4