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PM accuses Portia of backtracking on anti-crime measures
BY Balford Henry Observer writer balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, November 17, 2008
Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday accused Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller of backtracking on bipartisan agreements to control crime and violence reached at the Vale Royal talks in June.
"The Opposition needs to make up its mind on which side it wants to rest," Golding said, noting that he has written to Simpson Miller seeking further discussions to end the stand-off.
An angry Jamaica Labour Party supporter (left) argues with policemen outside the National Arena in Kingston yesterday after three men attending the party's 65th annual conference were shot. One of the men died. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
"I am saying to the opposition leader, you cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds," he stated in a near two-hour speech to an audience at the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP's) 65th annual conference depleted by a shooting incident earlier that started inside the National Arena and continued outside.
Golding said that following the bipartisan talks, Simpson Miller stood beside him on the steps of Vale Royal "and made statements to the press that we had agreed on an accord and that the Opposition was in full support of the approach".
He said that during those discussions, he had made proposals which were much more drastic than those agreed, but that in order to get the support of the Opposition he had toned them down.
"We had to tone down and we had to water down and we had to modify," Golding said. "When we get to Parliament, now all of a sudden the Opposition is no longer onboard."
However, the prime minister insisted that the Government will go ahead with the six crime bills he has tabled, and will put them to the vote. But he admitted that two of the bills will need Opposition support due to their constitutional nature.
"We are going to put it to the vote and if the Opposition decides to withdraw their support, we will go ahead with those which we have the power to enact," he stated.
Golding said that he would be disappointed if the Opposition withdraws support, as the bills are crucial in the fight against crime and need the united support of both sides.
The six crime bills tabled by Golding in the first week of September have been stalled since being reviewed by a joint select committee headed by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne.
The delay is primarily due to differences between the Government and the Opposition on several issues, mainly a proposed amendment to the Bail Act, which would allow police to detain persons accused of gun crimes for up to 60 days without bail. The proposed legislation would, however, be an interim one lasting for 12 months initially.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/..._MEASURES_.asp
BY Balford Henry Observer writer balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, November 17, 2008
Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday accused Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller of backtracking on bipartisan agreements to control crime and violence reached at the Vale Royal talks in June.
"The Opposition needs to make up its mind on which side it wants to rest," Golding said, noting that he has written to Simpson Miller seeking further discussions to end the stand-off.
An angry Jamaica Labour Party supporter (left) argues with policemen outside the National Arena in Kingston yesterday after three men attending the party's 65th annual conference were shot. One of the men died. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) "I am saying to the opposition leader, you cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds," he stated in a near two-hour speech to an audience at the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP's) 65th annual conference depleted by a shooting incident earlier that started inside the National Arena and continued outside.
Golding said that following the bipartisan talks, Simpson Miller stood beside him on the steps of Vale Royal "and made statements to the press that we had agreed on an accord and that the Opposition was in full support of the approach".
He said that during those discussions, he had made proposals which were much more drastic than those agreed, but that in order to get the support of the Opposition he had toned them down.
"We had to tone down and we had to water down and we had to modify," Golding said. "When we get to Parliament, now all of a sudden the Opposition is no longer onboard."
However, the prime minister insisted that the Government will go ahead with the six crime bills he has tabled, and will put them to the vote. But he admitted that two of the bills will need Opposition support due to their constitutional nature.
"We are going to put it to the vote and if the Opposition decides to withdraw their support, we will go ahead with those which we have the power to enact," he stated.
Golding said that he would be disappointed if the Opposition withdraws support, as the bills are crucial in the fight against crime and need the united support of both sides.
The six crime bills tabled by Golding in the first week of September have been stalled since being reviewed by a joint select committee headed by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne.
The delay is primarily due to differences between the Government and the Opposition on several issues, mainly a proposed amendment to the Bail Act, which would allow police to detain persons accused of gun crimes for up to 60 days without bail. The proposed legislation would, however, be an interim one lasting for 12 months initially.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/..._MEASURES_.asp
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