DNA Act may have to be repealed

GOVERNMENT may have to repeal the DNA Act, which was passed during the UNC tenure, because it is “unworkable.” This was revealed by Minister in the Ministry of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds while he spoke in the House of Representatives on a private motion calling on Government to affirm the rule of law. He said the UNC government followed the Australian model, but Government had since learnt this model was unworkable even in Australia. He added that that country was now looking to the UK to find a way forward on the matter. Hinds said this was not the only Bill in which there were problems. The UNC passed “with great song and dance” the Equal Opportunities Act, ostensibly to deal with racial imbalance.

He said the courts had since found that there were several provisions in the Act that infringed on entrenched rights. The courts have struck down the Act which was not passed with a special majority, Hinds noted. Hinds said the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act was passed by the UNC which left office without it being proclaimed. But this Government found that there were tremendous difficulties with the law which made it unworkable. He said the Dangerous Dogs Act, which was passed with “indecent haste,” was also found to be unworkable. Provisions such as the establishment of the register of dangerous dogs and the responsibilities of the Local Government authorities under the Bill, were not put in place, he said. Therefore, the Bill could not be proclaimed.

Hinds slammed Kamla Persad-Bissessar — the mover of the motion — saying it was just a ruse to raise the fact that there were 260 murders last year and to suggest that Government was responsible for them. “So who is responsible?” Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday challenged. “When you were prime minister and someone died at the residence, were you responsible?” Hinds countered, causing a hearty round of table-thumping from the Government benches. He said as a citizen and public official he was not overly concerned about police killings and police brutality, but killings and brutality in general. What was of great concern to him, he said, was the fact that 260 citizens lost their lives at the hands of other citizens.

Hinds described as “preposterous” a suggestion from Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the tribunal investigating police killings had to be members nominated by both Government and Opposition, if it was to be “independent and impartial.” He said on an issue like this there was nothing like PNM or UNC commissioners. “Preposterous!” he exclaimed. “This member (Persad-Bissessar) is getting better known for giving poor advice. Play online games at the best friv 2 games http://www.friv2online.com website. You could save that advice for your hapless, unfortunate client. Save it for your team in Opposition where you would be for the next 20 years. But save the country from that,” he said, amid desk-thumping.