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Unrelenting opposition to six controversial crime bills has forced the Joint Select Committee of Parliament examining the proposed legislation to consider altering some of the provisions.
One member of the Joint Select Committee Tuesday warned that the purpose of the bills could be defeated if adequate consensus is not achieved with all stakeholders.
After nearly three hours of deliberation, Former Attorney General AJ Nicholson warned that if the committee adopts a hard-headed approach to the bills, there could be undesirable implications.
He says the objections raised so far warrant serious concern and the committee should take a second look at the offending clauses.
The Joint Select Committee is considering several proposals, including an amendment to the Bail Act which would prevent persons charged with certain offences from applying for bail for sixty days.
This as well as another proposal to allow persons to be detained for up to seventy two hours before being taken before a court, has proven to be contentious among lawyers and human rights activists.
In urging the need for further consensus on the bills, Senator Nicholson said the committee should be guided by the input of other stakeholders to minimise a long term backlash.
"I put on the table that perhaps you should consider another way of approaching this, I am not saying that we should abandon this way but please let us practice another approach, the approach of practice direction of by the Chief Justice. If we don't, it will mean that work of the security forces is going to be even more difficult because the public would not have brought into what is being put forward," he said.
Committee Chair Senator Dorothy Lightbourne who echoed the sentiments said the concerns that have been raised will be taken seriously before the Joint Select Committee wraps up its deliberations.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin and his Deputy Mark Shields failed to convince members of the Joint Select Committee that restricting the right to bail for sixty days will reduce crime.
The two senior officers were grilled by members of the Committee which is considering six proposed crime bills.
The senior officers returned to Gordon House after they were told last week to present hard data of persons accused of serious crimes went on to commit other crimes while on bail.
Deputy Commissioner Shields disclosed that police records show seventy one persons charged with serious criminal offences have been accused of committing other crimes while on bail.
But committee member Senator KD Knight was far from convinced by the data that restricting bail for sixty days could have prevented accused persons from committing more crimes.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/12030/26/
One member of the Joint Select Committee Tuesday warned that the purpose of the bills could be defeated if adequate consensus is not achieved with all stakeholders.
After nearly three hours of deliberation, Former Attorney General AJ Nicholson warned that if the committee adopts a hard-headed approach to the bills, there could be undesirable implications.
He says the objections raised so far warrant serious concern and the committee should take a second look at the offending clauses.
The Joint Select Committee is considering several proposals, including an amendment to the Bail Act which would prevent persons charged with certain offences from applying for bail for sixty days.
This as well as another proposal to allow persons to be detained for up to seventy two hours before being taken before a court, has proven to be contentious among lawyers and human rights activists.
In urging the need for further consensus on the bills, Senator Nicholson said the committee should be guided by the input of other stakeholders to minimise a long term backlash.
"I put on the table that perhaps you should consider another way of approaching this, I am not saying that we should abandon this way but please let us practice another approach, the approach of practice direction of by the Chief Justice. If we don't, it will mean that work of the security forces is going to be even more difficult because the public would not have brought into what is being put forward," he said.
Committee Chair Senator Dorothy Lightbourne who echoed the sentiments said the concerns that have been raised will be taken seriously before the Joint Select Committee wraps up its deliberations.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin and his Deputy Mark Shields failed to convince members of the Joint Select Committee that restricting the right to bail for sixty days will reduce crime.
The two senior officers were grilled by members of the Committee which is considering six proposed crime bills.
The senior officers returned to Gordon House after they were told last week to present hard data of persons accused of serious crimes went on to commit other crimes while on bail.
Deputy Commissioner Shields disclosed that police records show seventy one persons charged with serious criminal offences have been accused of committing other crimes while on bail.
But committee member Senator KD Knight was far from convinced by the data that restricting bail for sixty days could have prevented accused persons from committing more crimes.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/12030/26/
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