Young: Electronic monitoring bill amendments to be approved

National Security Minister Stuart Young says while he is awaiting amendments to the Administration of Justice (Electronic Monitoring) (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to be approved by Parliament, his ministry was ready to activate the legislation as soon as possible.

Young told Newsday, said amendments were made to the bill in the Senate and were awaiting approval.

During this period, he said, additional staff would be hired to operate and monitor the systems for the electronic bracelets.

"Some further amendments were made in the Senate a couple days ago, so once those amendments are approved by the House I will seek to have the amendment bill proclaimed because we are ready to operationalise. We are in the process of hiring more staff to quickly operationalise as many of the 300 bracelets as possible, we need staff to monitor these things 24/7.

"I am hoping within the week we will be able to proclaim the legislation."

On April 2, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the monitoring system is essential to the plan to release low-risk prisoners to prevent the spread of covid19 behind bars.

The bill was passed on April 27 in the House of Representatives after being introduced by Young on March 6.

It will allow courts to be able to impose a sentence of electronic monitoring for an offence committed in lieu of a sentence of imprisonment or as a condition of bail.

Amalgamated Security Services Ltd, partnering with an Israeli firm, won the $10.3 million contract in 2019 to supply the system.