CoP considering non-lethal weapons for women

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday said Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams is considering a request to allow women to carry tasers and pepper spray as measures for their personal protection. Rowley made this statement in the House of Representatives in response to questions from the Opposition.

However he was unable to provide a time frame as to when a decision would be taken. Rowley reminded MPs there is a desk established in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs to track the cases of individuals on death row with a view to implementing the death penalty.

He said this desk was never established during the last five years. Rowley said advice provided by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj on the implementation of the death penalty is being considered. Rowley said Maharaj gave that advice pro bono. Rowley said despite findings of a recent poll, he is convinced his administration is leading the country in the right direction and he takes the views of all citizens into account.

Later in the sitting, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said Cabinet approved a top of of eight percent of text books in schools, after the ministry determined the amount of books to be replaced. Garcia also said this country will not be ready next year to do e-testing. Garcia said an audit was done on information technology communication infrastructure in the schools and several deficiencies were found. He said paper based testing will continue until all requirements for e-testing from both the ministry and the Caribbean Examinations Council side are met.