Bring back the bail bill

THE EDITOR: "We can reduce murders by 50 per cent. But when we arrest these people, we need to make sure they stay behind bars.” These words were spoken by Police Commissioner Gary Griffith following the defeat of the Bail Amendment Bill in May 2020. In recent years our country has seen, through the failure of opposition support, a regressive trend in our criminal justice system of loosening the net versus tightening it around criminal elements.

I have commented in the past about the illogical position of the Opposition in failing to support key pieces of legislation such as the Bail Amendment Bill, Firearms Amendment Bill and, more recently, the Anti-Gang Bill. All of these were aimed at targeting the criminals, who are in the minority, and keeping them behind bars and out of the streets terrorising law-abiding citizens.

Again, given the recent events, the normal public outcry has erupted for something to be done and all sides of the political spectrum will take heed and agree that tougher measures must come. However, it appears that when the occasion presents itself for real action to be taken, these bills, aimed at dropping the hammer on criminal element, are not supported.

At what point does the right of the citizens to public safety supersede the rights of criminals, who should be locked away for our own safe keeping?

The Police Commissioner has exhaustively called on our elected representatives to support these key anti-crime measures. He is again joined by the Attorney General in calling for opposition support for the bills, many of which would have been utilised by the UNC when it was in government, yet sees them unfit for the purpose when in opposition.

I echo these calls – for the sake of us all – for the return and support of legislation to restrict bail for the criminal element and for harsher penalties for gun crimes and gang activity. Upon the collapse of the Anti-Gang Bill extension, I wrote that criminals would celebrate given their freer reign. While that happens, citizens will be in a state of grief and despair, unless all necessary measures are put in place to give us a fighting chance.

VYASH NANDLAL

Couva