…….12 Opposition Members voted against the Motion
By FRANCIS JOSEPH
It was another marathon session in the House of Representatives.
It started at 10.30 am on Wednesday with the Finance Bill up for debate. When it ended at 5.35 pm, the Government secured the passage with 28 votes. The 13 Opposition Members abstained.
The motion to extend the State of Emergency (SoE) began at 6.15 pm. Attorney General John Jeremie SC piloted the motion. The purpose was to extended the SoE for another three months. It was declared on March 3 after the proclamation by Her Excellency, President Christine Kangaloo.
AG Jeremie promised that the Government will be going after white-collar criminals and those who facilitate organised crime.
Jeremie said law enforcement efforts cannot be limited to blue-collar gang members alone, as authorities must also target those who enable and profit from criminal activity.
He said the Government’s focus will now extend to gangs, including those who describe themselves in percentages, such as the one per cent.
The AG added, “An infraction of the law by the powerful and the one per cent is no different from an infraction of the law by the poor little black youths in Morvant and Laventille. We are not here speaking to action taken by our allies in the north. We have no control over that. What we do have control over, is what our law enforcement tells us about some of the activities of these persons. The time when they received the keys to the city and licence to mash up the place. That time is over.”
He said such protection no longer exists for some people, as authorities would act against anyone found to be involved in illegal activity.
The AG declared, “To those persons among us who consider that their wealth allows them guarantees from prosecution and from the attention of law enforcement bodies, we say those days are behind us. If you behave as gang members do, you shall be treated in exactly the same way that blue-collar gang members are. If your designation happens to be within the one per cent, it happens to be six, seven, or eight, Teteron awaits.”
After the AG piloted the motion, nine other MPs, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC and Opposition Leader, Penny Beckles-Robinson, contributed. When all the contributions were in, AG Jeremie responded at 12.55 am. on Thursday.
Jeremie completed his reply by 1.20 am. The vote was taken and although it was evident that the Government succeeded by a simple majority, the Opposition called for a “division”.
At the end of it, the Government secured 28 votes including the two MPs from Tobago. Twelve members of the Opposition said no, with Camille Robinson-Regis being absent.
