Police Social and Welfare Association president Inspector Anand Ramesar is calling on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to retract her statement on the possibility of the police abusing provisions of the Bail (Amendment) Bill.
In a brief interview yesterday, Ramesar said his members were very concerned by the prime minister’s comments on the issue because of her role as head of the National Security Council.
“This also undermines the integrity of a lot of hard working officers especially those who operate in key areas such as homicide, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and now the Anti-Terrorism Unit,” Ramesar said.
Ramesar said his association was disappointed by the comment and it should not have been made.
Persad-Bissessar made the comments while speaking with reporters following a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) home distribution ceremony to differently able persons at the South Academy for the Performing Arms in San Fernando on Thursday afternoon.
She was responding to a call from the Law Association to repeal the bill, which was passed in Upper House of Parliament with the support of Opposition and Independent Senators last Tuesday. The legislation proposes a 120 day period where repeat offenders will be denied bail for firearm related offences. It is yet to receive presidential assent.
While Persad-Bissessar acknowledged the law association’s concerns over the possibility of police abusing the bill through false charges, she refused to accede to the request as she stated that the legislation was an important crime-fighting tool.
Ramesar also said that his association fully supported Government’s move to introduce the legislation.
“It is an important element in fighting crime as firearms remain the prefered weapon of criminals in T&T whether they are committing murder, robbery or other offences against a person,” Ramesar said.