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OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday keenly welcomed the Senate's rejection of the Bail (Amendment) (Extension of Duration) Bill 2022 which failed to earn a constitutional majority. The government’s 18 senators voted in favour of the bill, while six Opposition and five Independent senators voted against. One Independent senator abstained.
The bill had proposed a one-year extension for a 2019 bill (with a three-year sunset clause) which denies bail to a suspect in a serious crime who has a past conviction for a serious offence.
Persad-Bissessar's news release on Wednesday was titled, Rowley’s Government collapses in the Senate. Draconian Bail Bill defeated!
She said, "The Keith Rowley-led Government was defeated" in advocating a bill to deny people the right to apply for bail.
Persad-Bissessar said the fact the Government was "resoundingly defeated" showed it had now collapsed.
"The Government’s claim that this legislation was a solution to the crime problem fell flat, in light of evidence that there has been no reduction in crime and criminality after three years of having the bail bill on the statutes."
She said the Opposition had consistently asked the Government for empirical evidence that the law was actually working.
"No such evidence was ever produced. Therefore, there was never any sufficient basis to interfere with the fundamental rights of citizens.
"Embattled and disgraced Attorney General Reginald Armour, in his previous incarnation as president of the LATT (Law Association), argued against the Bail Bill in 2016, which is the same bill that was presented in the Senate."
She said the AG had earlier admitted he had no real data to back his arguments in favour of the bill.
"The bail bill presented by the Government did nothing to curb crime and, instead, breached multiple sections of the Constitution that guarantees and safeguards the fundamental rights of all citizens.
"Meanwhile, crime continues to rise to unprecedented levels with triple and quadruple killings now occurring overnight."
Persad-Bissessar said the real reason why crime continues was the Government's alleged complete abandonment of responsibilities.
She said the police service was crippled by Rowley’s sabotage and destruction of the Police Service Commission, while national security declined under Fitzgerald Hinds as minister.
"The only solution to the nation's runaway crime wave is the complete removal of this failed Keith Rowley PNM government."
Persad-Bissessar recalled Rowley as opposition leader in 2012 saying that if the then government couldn't deal with crime, then it itself was part of the problem.
"It is clear that this PNM government has become the problem.
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