Opposition: Anti-Gang Bill not as important as covid19 concerns

OPPOSITION SENATOR Jayanti Lutchmedial said the passage of the Anti-Gang Bill in Parliament on Friday was not as important as protecting the health and safety of members of Parliament.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar led her MPs in a boycott on Friday over fears of covid19 following the Prime Minister’s positive testing.

The Government criticised the Opposition for their absence calling it a dereliction of duty after the Opposition claimed it was because the Government was in breach of the covid19 regulations that mandated the isolation of those exposed to the virus.

Persad-Bissessar said those at Rowley’s briefing two Saturdays ago should be in isolation, including Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, who was in Parliament on Friday.

The bill was passed with 19 votes and no objections or abstentions.

Lutchmedial said whether or not they were present, the bill would have been passed.

“The AG adopted a particular position that the bill, despite the far-reaching powers given to the police, does not require a special majority So it would have been passed with our without the Opposition. This act, and passing it, was not so critical that the issue of contact tracing and sanitization of the building had to be ignored.”

She added that the Chaguanas market had to be closed and sanitised because of a positive case. She said laws, procedures and protocols must not be applied selectively.

In a media release, from the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs said Government will no longer allow the law to be used as a political tool by the Opposition. The release added that although the bill had to be diluted because it was not getting Opposition support, it will still be useful for discouraging and suppressing criminal gang membership, gang membership and gang leadership; coercing or encouraging gang membership and other offences. The forfeiture of property for someone convicted under the law is still in place.

“The bill is another arsenal to buttress the criminal justice system and will assist law enforcement in its fight against crime,” the release stated.