Police Reform Bills fail

The Opposition rejected Government’s attempts to reform the Police Service through legislation, but Prime Minister Patrick Manning has vowed to come again. Government dropped the three Police Reform Bills after failing to get Opposition support in a marathon session of the House of Representatives lasting from 1.30 pm Thursday to 2.30 am Friday. The package — the Police Service Bill, Constitution (Amendment) Bill, and Police Complaints Authority Bill — had required a special majority of votes in the House, as it alters existing constitutional provisions.

At 2.06 am, Deputy Speaker of the House Hedwidge Bereaux put the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to set up the Police Management Authority (which would have replaced the Police Service Commission,) before the House. The vote went 18 votes for, 15 votes against the Bill. Missing from the floor on the Government side was La Brea MP, Hedwidge Bereaux, who was acting in the Chair for an absent House Speaker Barry Sinanan and Minister of Works Franklyn Khan. Absent from the Opposition side was St Augustine MP, Winston Dookeran, who left the chamber at midnight.