AG: I will protect TT's children

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday declared, “I make no apologies in protecting the children of TT.”

He made this declaration in response to questions from Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial in the House of Representatives about the proclamation of the Marriage Bill 2017 (to abolish child marriages in TT), which was passed in the House and Senate earlier this year.

He said the forms to accompany the legislation will be going to Cabinet next Thursday and Cabinet will subsequently set a date for the legislation’s proclamation.

“I do consider that 26 years of discussion on the abolition of child marriages deserves some haste,” Al-Rawi told Ramdial.

However, he reminded her and other Opposition MPs, “legal operationalisation is a critical factor.”

In that context, Al-Rawi said, “I make no apologies, whatsoever, for taking care and caution with the forms.”

He said under the former People’s Partnership (PP) administration, forms to accompany the Proceeds of Crime Act were not prepared.

Al-Rawi said this resulted in the PP’s own AG, “now in private practice, sue the State for the lack of availability of forms.” He said this led to the payment of damages by the country’s taxpayers.