By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterAS CONTROVERSY swirls around the impending implementation of the Terrorism Prevention Act, the Government will be calling on members of the public to make submissions to Parliament outlining their comments and concerns, by the end of the year.
Dr. Peter Phillips, Leader of Government Business and Minister of National Security, has also announced that the contentious Bill will be referred to a joint select committee of Parliament "at an appropriate time."
Speaking in the House of Representatives last Tuesday, Dr. Phillips indicated that submissions from the public would be required for consideration by the committee which will be chaired by K. D. Knight, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Mr. Knight, who tabled the Bill in the House more than a month ago (October 28), will be accompanied by Government MPs Dr. Phillips; Dr. Wykeham McNeill, Dr. Neil McGill, and Dr. Patrick Harris as well as the Opposition's Derrick Smith, spokesman on National Security; Delroy Chuck, spokesman on Justice; and Abe Dabdoub. They will be joined by a similar group comprising members of the Senate.
"Given the considerations of time, given the tremendous importance that attaches to this Bill, it is proposed that we should immediately request such comments and memoranda as members of the public might choose to provide for the consideration of the committee," Dr. Phillips said.
He noted that the request would be issued through the "appropriate" notices in the newspapers and would require that the submissions be made by December 31.
Since the tabling of the Terrorism Prevention Act, heavy criticism of aspects of the Bill has pervaded public discussions.
'FEARSOME LEGISLATION'
Peaking the criticism, Opposition Leader Edward Seaga vowed to oppose the implementation of the legislation in its present form. He claimed that the governing People's National Party (PNP) could not be trusted with the power such 'fearsome legislation' would bring.
Among the concerns raised was that the Bill, if not amended, would give the Government 'much of the same draconian powers as a state of emergency', as well as potentially silence all effective opposition.
But both Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Senator A.J. Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, have since vehemently denied the Opposition's allegations. Speaking to members of the private sector last week, Mr. Patterson indicated that the Bill "must" be passed before April 2004, when a report to the United Nations on Jamaica's response to the worldwide threat of terrorism is due.
However, Mr. Seaga has not backed off from his stance, suggesting on Thursday that the Patterson administration could well use the legislation to put down any unrest that may arise as the economy heads deeper into crisis.
The Opposition Leader's comments, made during a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, led to a challenge from Senator Nicholson for Mr. Seaga to pinpoint the exact clause in the legislation which justifies his claims.
