Death penalty bill ‘hanged’

The controversial Constitution (Amendment) (Capital Offences) Bill, 2011 is expected to be defeated in Parliament on Monday when it is put to the vote. Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said in an interview yesterday: “We not voting for that (bill).” Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said if the bill was defeated the People’s Partnership would not be the one to blame. He insisted the Government was “trying. We are reaching out. We are prepared to embrace and we are even bending over backwards to capitulate to demands (of the Opposition).” He said if the bill went to a vote on Monday in the Lower House and it was defeated without the Opposition required support then it was a matter for the PNM to take the blame. When Wednesday’s marathon nine-hour sitting was  suspended, shortly after 11 pm, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan was winding up the debate.

Speaking during yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair, Ramlogan said after significant amendments were made to the bill, on the request of the Opposition, it appeared as though the proposed legislation was likely to be defeated as the Opposition has signalled its intention to vote against it. He added: “Although we do not agree with their demands, we have decided to give in and yield to those demands in the interest of Trinidad and Tobago.” He said the bill was so significantly amended it would mainly consist of the two demands of the Opposition, which were the removal of the categorisation of murders and the imposition of an 18-month limit for appeals to the international human rights bodies. “We have agreed to give in to those demands in the hope they will inspire responsible political behaviour in the interest of the country,” he added.

Ramlogan said the PNM was “obstructionist and “partisan politics seems to be playing itself out while they (PNM) strangle and frustrate the nation.” He said the PNM “intend to withhold their political support because it will make the PNM look bad that for eight years they didn’t do this and we are now doing it in eight months. That is the reality of our position.” Ramlogan said because of the PNM action “children will continue to go missing and end up murdered with their bloated bodies being found in the watercourses while the PNM continues to hold on to false pride.” Ramlogan said the population must judge the Opposition on its actions. “It is an attempt to sabotage our crime-fighting efforts and our efforts to restore law and order to this country,” he added.

In response to questions, Ramlogan said the PNM was engaged in acts of hypocrisy and deception.
“It is clear that the Opposition does not want the death penalty to be enforced in this country,” Ramlogan claimed. He said crime was not a partisan issue “it is about everybody.” He said if the legislation was approved hangings would resume “quicker than you think.” But Rowley is insisting the PNM will not be supporting the legislation on Monday. He said the PNM’s position had been clearly stated. The bill requires the support of at least one Opposition MP to be passed. “We are not afraid of the AG. We are not going to be bullied by the discredited AG,” Rowley said. He added when Ramlogan presented the bill it was indicated it was an ideal piece of legislation to assist in the resumption of hangings in T&T. But, he said, during the debate the PNM MPs showed the many dangers of the legislation. Rowley said 90 per cent of the bill had been amended and the PNM Opposition would not be bullied into amending the constitution with the “residues of a flawed bill.” He said the PNM was not surprised by Ramlogan’s move to blame the PNM for the bill’s failure. “That was always the intention of the AG,“ Rowley added. He said attacks on the PNM were not new. He said the 54-year-old party was accustomed to such attacks. He said the PNM was not going to be a party of PP’s public relations gimmickry.