Govt moves Police Bills from the Senate to House

Government yesterday withdrew the Police Reform Bills from the Senate.  Debate on the controversial bills now moves to the House of Representatives next Tuesday where the Opposition will be forced to take a position on the legislation,  designed to cure the runaway crime situation. National Security Minister Martin Joseph announced that the Government was pulling the bills from the Upper House. This was being done “to facilitate the debate taking place in the other place.” Minority Leader Sadiq Baksh said he was pleased to see that Government has recognised the need for wider consultation, but Robin Montano made much ado.

“This is an abuse!” he thundered. Why are we doing this? “The Senate deserves an explanation,” he demanded. Government, he said, had spent $6 to $7 million on an ad campaign, and “all of a sudden the bills are withdrawn  to go downstairs where they (the Government) know they don’t have the requisite majority,” he declared. The bills require a two-thirds majority and, therefore, the support of the Opposition, if they are to become law. Explaining the rationale for the change, Leader of Government Business Dr Lenny Saith said Government did not want to waste the Senate’s time.  He said if the bills were to be supported by the Opposition, then it made more sense to start in the Lower House. “If they don’t support it in the Lower House, then the bill fails and there is no need to debate it in the Senate,” he said, adding that in order for the bills to become law “we require the assistance of the support of the Opposition (in the Lower House).” Saith said it would have been an exercise in futility if the Opposition (in the House of Representatives) did not support it,” he reiterated.

He continued: “Given where we are today it would be better to have the debate take place in the Lower House where the Opposition has an opportunity to put its case to the people, where the Government would have an opportunity to put its case (to the public) and hopefully they would come to some agreement down there. And if they don’t, that is the end of it.” If the bills are defeated, they cannot be brought back within six months. Asked why Government did not think of all of this before it tabled the legislation in the Senate, Saith recalled that the bills were originally laid in the House of Representatives before being taken to the Senate. “I guess at the time the thought was you could get an agreement (between Government and Opposition). But we have reached a stage where we are not getting an agreement (between the two sides) and therefore I think the debate has to take place in the House where the Opposition is fully represented and the Government is fully represented and debate it for the country to see.” Saith assured the Government was prepared to make amendments to the bills. The bills will be tabled at today’s sitting of the House of Representatives in order to give MPs time to consider them and prepare for next Tuesday. Debate on Tuesday will start at 10 am and will be started by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.