Time for draconian, dictatoriallaw to go

THE EDITOR: Having seen a police service press release stating that conditional approval was granted to social activist Victor Roberts to have a public march, I have however seen no proof of this in any official document signed by the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP).

In all my years as a practising attorney I have never heard of conditional approval given to anyone to have a public march in TT.

Firstly, for a person to have a public march permission is sought from the CoP via the Summary Offences Act Chap 11:02. Most notable are sections 112-114 of the legislation. Once permission is granted the applicant is given a permit to march, granted by the CoP.

I have seen nothing in the legislation about conditional approval being granted by the CoP. Therefore, I call on the police to show where such approval is given via the legislation and also when such approval was previously given to any person, group or organisation.

I would hope that the police have not found themselves as political pawns carrying out the will of a political directorate that is totally against such types of marches.

This situation certainly looks similar to the behaviour of the Eric Williams-led PNM government, whereby laws were made to suppress such marches during the Black Power Movement, notably the Public Order Act by former AG Karl Hudson-Phillips, which is now taken over by the Summary Offences Act.

To me this goes against the Constitution of TT, which allows for freedom of assembly and freedom of movement via sections 4, 5 and 6. In light of this I believe it is time to remove this draconian and dictatorial law.

The police by that media report have clearly found themselves painted into a corner and now they will have to deal with it through litigation, as Roberts has made clear.

The police have bitten off more than they can chew. It is time for a substantive commissioner to be put in place, free from the tentacles of the Government.

BRAIN BAIG

attorney