Parliament tackles crime this week

BATTLE LINES have been drawn for what is expected to be a heated parliamentary debate in the House of Representatives at 10 am on Wednesday on the Government’s handling of the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. When the Lower House resumes its sittings on Wednesday, the first order of business will be a motion in Leader of Government Business Ken Valley’s name for the House to “take notes of the Government’s efforts to combat crime.” The motion is expected to be presented by National Security Minister Martin Joseph, who announced Government’s intention to debate motion in Parliament at a post-Cabinet news conference two weeks ago.

While the Opposition has been critical in the past about Government’s handling of the crime situation and repeatedly alleged that the PNM “is in bed” with criminal elements, it remains to be seen how united the UNC would be in Wednesday’s debate given its own internal leadership wranglings following its October 2 national executive elections. The question of whether incumbent Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday would relinquish his post to new UNC political leader Winston Dookeran may direct some of the attention away from the motion at hand. The issue of the Police Service Reform Bills is almost certain to be raised during the course of Wednesday’s debate. In an exclusive October 28 Newsday interview, former President of TT Sir Ellis Clarke (who headed the committee that drafted the legislation in 1999) welcomed Government’s decision to debate the country’s crime situation in Parliament. Since the PNM returned to office in 2001, the UNC has refused to support the bills until there is constitutional reform in TT.

In terms of key contributors during the debate, eyes will be focused on Health Minister John Rahael and Naparima MP Nizam Baksh, both of whom have lost close relatives to incidents of violent crimes. The Senate sits tomorrow at 1.30 pm and among the items on the agenda will be Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift’s presentation of the International Criminal Court Bill 2005 and debate on a motion in Agriculture Minister Jarrette Narine’s name to approve a decision by President George Maxwell Richards to acquire certain lands for public purposes.