Faris: No right to jury trial

He said the TT Constitution gives the right to a fair trial but not trial by jury, saying that earlier every Opposition Senator had wrongly argued the latter point.

He scoffed at Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge’s argument that Lord Diplock’s remarks declaring no right to a jury trial (in the case of “R v Trevor Stone”) had merely been obiter dicta or “other things said” apart from the main ruling.

By contrast the AG said Diplock’s remarks were central to that case which itself was fully about whether there is a right to trial by jury.

Likewise, Al-Rawi said a Maltese case similarly said that nation’s constitution did not guarantee any right to jury trial.

At 6 pm, as the Senate went into committee stage Opposition Senator Wade Mark complained that he had only just received four pages of proposed amendments to the bill, and he urged a one hour adjournment for senators to mull the proposals.

Al-Rawi said no such a length of time was needed, and Senate President Christine Kangaloo agreed to adjourn for just 30 minutes.