PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:
FACED WITH almost one murder every day, the Trinidad and Tobago government has announced a series of new crime-fighting measures, including the resumption of hangings.
Both Attorney-General John Jeremie and National Security Minister Martin Joseph told legislators on Monday that the Patrick Manning-led administration was determined to deal with the rising criminal activities that have so far claimed 154 lives this year.
Jeremie said that the government would 'resist' with all the resources of the State, the decisions of the London-based Privy Council that prevent the implementation of the death penalty.
IN DEFIANCE OF THE CONSTITUTION
He said these would include the Pratt and Morgan decision that places a five-year limit on the time a convicted murderer can spend on death row and the recent Privy Council statement which Jeremie said was in "defiance of the constitution" since it involved commuting the sentences of persons on death row, whose appeals were not even before the law lords in Britain.
"We shall resist these decisions with every resources of the State," said Jeremie, who also announced a package of emergency legislation to deal with the crime situation.
He said the package was designed to "enable the judiciary to function more efficiently" and would provide for both a speedy trial and protecting victims and witnesses.
"The government recognises that our people have grown tired of plans, talk and discussions of the problems," he said noting, "Today, the government states in forthright and unambiguous terms that we are at war with each and every criminal in Trinidad and Tobago".
The legislation will also allow the director of public prosecutions to expedite prosecution of serious offences. One of the proposed pieces of legislation, the Bail Amendment Bill 2005, will deny bail to repeated offenders, or any person charged with the offence of kidnapping, drug trafficking or found to be in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
REINTRODUCTION OF REFORMS
Jeremie told legislators that the existing bail arrangements allow hardened criminals to abuse the system by using bail and court delays not only to continue their criminal activities, but also to eliminate witnesses.
The Manning administration is also reintroducing the three Police Reform Bills which, like the Bail Amendment Bill, failed to get the approval of the Opposition for the special majority needed for its passage.
In his statement to Parliament, the National Security Minister said that there had been an increase in the number of homicides during the period January to June this year, as compared with last year.
Last year, the figure was 104 as compared with 152 this year and Joseph said there were 66 known gangs with an estimated 500 hard-core members operating on the island.
