AG, we are still not protected from fireworks

THE EDITOR: Open letter to Attorney General Reginald Armour.

Our several correspondences to you dated January 3, February 6 and March 10 have gone unanswered. These all relate to the public consultation on fireworks and promises you made.

Just over one year ago when you entered office, there was a matter pertaining to legislating responsible use of fireworks underway. A matter that the Law Reform Commission had, 19 years earlier, said necessitated action.

Four months ago (December) you said the draft fireworks bill had been comprehensively reviewed subsequent to the public consultation, taking into consideration comments from the general public, and that recommendations had been submitted for the attention of the Cabinet. It was your intention to ensure that the bill be tabled in Parliament in the shortest possible time.

Here we are four months later and you have not provided an update or demonstrated any progress. Twenty years on and the Office of the Attorney General has failed to enact the necessary legislation to protect citizens from the nuisance and dangers of fireworks as recommended by the commission.

You have in recent times publicly condemned the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for underperforming. Yet a High Court judge has recently had cause to criticise your office for constantly seeking extensions to file defences to lawsuits brought against the State. Just last month your office applied for an extension to file an affidavit in our case vs the Attorney General.

Clearly, these delays can compromise the effectiveness of our justice system and cause the general public to question the performance of the Office of the AG.

Rather than throwing stones, we would invite you to focus inward on ensuring the efficacy of your office and its representation of the people. Hopefully, then you can provide us with an update on the current status of the fireworks bill, 2022. Let not another year pass.

We look forward to receiving an update on the bill in short order.

ROGER MARSHALL

for Fireworks Action

Coalition of TT