Lee says bail bill kneejerk reaction

David Lee
David Lee

THE Bail (Amendment) Bill 2019, like one of its fellow pieces of legislation – the Anti-Gang Act 2018 – is another example of the PNM administration’s kneejerk reaction to the out-of-control crime rate.

That’s the view of Opposition whip David Lee, who, in a phone interview yesterday, said both pieces of legislation have been touted as the “be-all and end-all” solution to crime. The governement, he said dis not care about the crime situation, "because if this piece of legislation that they seem to think is the be-all and end- all, just like the anti-gang legislation, why did they not debate this on June 14, June 15, June 16 or whenever? Why wait seven to eight weeks?”

Debate on the Bail (Amendment) Bill is expected to begin on Wednesday.He said the bill had been passed in the Senate since June 12 and questioned the length of time taken to lay it before the House of Representatives during the annual July-August recess.“Clearly it is a kneejerk reaction by this government. This is the same bail bill they are bringing back when people by right are on vacation, based on the standing orders."

By law, he said, Parliament "breaks for a period of time, which is now, so a lot of my MPs are out of the country.”

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