PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago government and opposition have agreed to legislation that would deny bail to kidnappers.
They have also agreed to support the Bail Amendment Bill which will be tabled in Parliament on Friday.
Both sides agreed to the new measure following talks on Tuesday that included Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Attorney-General John Jeremie, Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday and the leader of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC) Winston Dookeran.
SUPPORT
Speaking with reporters afterwards, Jeremie said that the Opposition would give support to the legislation that required a special majority to be passed in Parliament.
Former Attorney-General, Kamla Persad Bissessar, who attended the talks, said that the Bill would essentially allow the police to hold a person accused of kidnapping for ransom without bail for 60 days, but the onus would be on the State to bring that person to trial within this period.
If the State fails to do so, then the suspect would have the right to apply to a High Court judge to get bail, she added.
CIVIL LIBERTIES
She said the measure would also allow ensure that a person's civil liberties were "not unduly restricted".
But the Opposition failed to give support to four other pieces of legislation including the Police Reform Bill that Persad-Bissessar said would allow the Cabinet to appoint the Police Commissioner and members of the Police Service Commission.
She said the Opposition believes such a measure would allow for an abuse of power.
