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Plea bargain gets teeth ... despite calls for delay from Opposition
Published: Saturday | February 13, 2010
<DIV class=KonaBody isRoot="true">
Lightbourne (left) and Nelson
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
THE SENATE yesterday passed regulations which paved the way for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to enter into plea-bargaining arrangements with persons who are before the courts on criminal charges.
The passage of the regulations, as well as amendments to legal aid regulations gave teeth to the Criminal Justice (Plea Negotiations and Agreements) Act, which was passed in 2005.
Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne told the Senate that while the Office of the DPP currently conducts plea-bargaining, the regulations would "provide a uniform structure and clear guidelines for the conduct of such negotiations".
PNP bystanders
However, while government senators celebrated the passage of the regulations, members of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) were bystanders.
The PNP refused to participate in the debate on the regulations after its plea for more time to consider the provisions was ignored.
Acting Leader of Opposition Business, Navel Clarke, told the Senate that although he had committed to debating the regulations yesterday, some members of the Opposition had not received the regulations and were not in a position to contribute to the deliberations.
"I am informed by those people who are more able and equipped to deal with the matter, that they are not seized of all information that would give them the opportunity to participate this morning, notwithstanding the commitment that I made," Clarke said.
Another opposition member, K.D. Knight, said that some members of the Opposition did not receive the regulations which had been emailed to them by Parliament.
"I think it would be in our best interest to delay the debate on this for a week. In the final analysis, what we all want is that there is full participation, so that when this comes into being, it has the imprimatur of the entire Senate," Knight said.
Published: Saturday | February 13, 2010
<DIV class=KonaBody isRoot="true">
Lightbourne (left) and Nelson
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
THE SENATE yesterday passed regulations which paved the way for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to enter into plea-bargaining arrangements with persons who are before the courts on criminal charges.
The passage of the regulations, as well as amendments to legal aid regulations gave teeth to the Criminal Justice (Plea Negotiations and Agreements) Act, which was passed in 2005.
Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne told the Senate that while the Office of the DPP currently conducts plea-bargaining, the regulations would "provide a uniform structure and clear guidelines for the conduct of such negotiations".
PNP bystanders
However, while government senators celebrated the passage of the regulations, members of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) were bystanders.
The PNP refused to participate in the debate on the regulations after its plea for more time to consider the provisions was ignored.
Acting Leader of Opposition Business, Navel Clarke, told the Senate that although he had committed to debating the regulations yesterday, some members of the Opposition had not received the regulations and were not in a position to contribute to the deliberations.
"I am informed by those people who are more able and equipped to deal with the matter, that they are not seized of all information that would give them the opportunity to participate this morning, notwithstanding the commitment that I made," Clarke said.
Another opposition member, K.D. Knight, said that some members of the Opposition did not receive the regulations which had been emailed to them by Parliament.
"I think it would be in our best interest to delay the debate on this for a week. In the final analysis, what we all want is that there is full participation, so that when this comes into being, it has the imprimatur of the entire Senate," Knight said.
yuh prove my point.
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