Lee: Bail Bill a 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 government, he said, does 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 tomorrow. 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.” Lee said this seemed to be a pattern, as government had used similar tactics for the appointment of a police commissioner and the anti-gang legislation.He declined to say what stance the opposition would adopt during the debate, saying this would be known tomorrow.

Asked about the party’s screening process, Lee, who is also a UNC deputy political leader, said it had already screened candidates for the Sangre Grande, Tunapuna and San Fernando corporations, with screening slated to resume after August 12.

“A lot of people have filed nominations, so it is not one individual alone. We have maybe five or seven individuals for screenings for some electoral districts, and this augurs well for democracy. It appears everybody wants to be a councillor for the UNC.”

With the PNM having already announced its general election candidates for the Chaguanas East and Pointe-a-Pierre constituencies, he said this could be interpreted that a general election was also in the offing.

“Maybe it is sending a signal that maybe general elections are in the air. But it is not surprising, because the general secretary of that party said in a media release they would be screening for both local and general election and they would screening five seats that are held by the UNC they do not hold.”

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