Government must say if it sought views on the Bail Amendment Bill from those opposed to the bill in 2015 including the Law Association whose vice president Gerry Brooks is now in Government, says former PP attorney general Garvin Nicholas
Government and Opposition meet tomorrow on the bill which lapses in August. Government wants to extend it for another two years due to cases in the courts. The Attorney General said he’d written the Opposition since June 2 seeking a meeting on the bill which requires Opposition support for passage. Debate was shelved two weeks ago when the Opposition then sought a meeting on it.
Nicholas, in an interview, said, “In analysis for the way forward, research has to be done into the effect of the law and it’s also important to ascertain the views of those vehemently opposed to the bill before (in PP’s tenure) such as Mr Brooks who was part of the LATT executive which opposed it and who signed a release to that effect in 2015.”
“He’s now in Government as a State board chairman of NGC and a number of other boards - has his view changed as a result, will he and LATT support extension of something which he’d opposed when he was out of Government?
LATT president Reginald Armour and Brooks didn’t immediately reply to calls on LATT’s position on the bill.
Nicholas added,“The timing of such legislation comes at a period when government finds crime and murder rates unacceptable.
“The escalation indicates more elements at play so it’s important to curb causes as well as gun violence and ownership, and strengthen laws on illegal firearms.”
Tomorrow’s talks will be between a five-member Government team led by the Attorney General and an Opposition team lead by the Whip, UNC officials indicated.