Single Fathers' Assn welcome move to release non-violent inmates

RHONDALL Feeles, president of the Single Fathers' Association of TT, says the proposal to release non-violent offenders is a move in the right direction and should be considered outside of emergency situations like covid19.

The association issued a statement on Thursday after the Prime Minister announced that prisoners, who are deemed non-violent and/or unable to post bail, may be released to deal with chronic overcrowding and to curb the spread of covid19 in prison.

Attorney General Faris Al Rawi later explained the state was "looking at the very low-risk criterion."

The association's statement follows the a series of meetings it held with judiciary representatives last week in which matters concerning child maintenance and custody amidst the pandemic were addressed. The association said it was pleased with the judiciary's openness to the association's range of concerns.

"Earlier this week, we would have cited the overcrowded prison population, the high costs to house an inmate, and the impact of the unexpected economic downturn, as good reasoning for our call to temporarily cease issuance of new, and the enforcement of, existing child maintenance warrants."

"(We support) the proposal announced by the prime minister and attorney general to release people incarcerated for non-criminal offences, such as charges stemming from the failure to pay child maintenance and traffic violations.

"The association sees this new proposal as a move in the right direction and hopes that even after this period that our country examines less punitive and less costly measures to compel persons to comply with these non-criminal offences," Feeles said, alluding to the Attorney General's recent disclosure of the $20,000-$25,000 price tag to house inmates at Remand Yard.

"Jail surely is not the answer."

Feeles said the association does not want people to discontinue paying maintenance, but it discourages, "(the) imprisonment of these non-criminal offenders during this covid19 pandemic period."

"The PM spoke about non-violent offences, but non-criminal offences would be a subset of non-violent offences. The reason we say non-criminal," Feeles said, "is that we are talking about offences that do not go on your criminal record. I don't know if when they say non-violent, they are going to release people for larceny (and similarly non-violent offences) but I'm talking about maintenance and traffic offenders, who I specifically refer to as 'non-criminal.'"

In keeping with social distancing recommendations by the authorities and as a long-time advocate for Courtpay, Feeles once again encouraged non-custodial parents with maintenance orders, including those soon to be released and with outstanding warrants, to register.

Courtpay is an electronic system that facilitates remote court order payments, though various means. The association has opened a phone line for WhatsApp, 498-8791, 354-6991 and 481-5762, to assist with Courtpay registration.