Attorney General Anand Ramlogan says provisions in the DNA Bill have been simplified and will be user-friendly for police officers who will be trained and entitled to take blood samples from people accused of crimes. Ramlogan said the existing DNA Bill had proven to be cumbersome and impractical. He said the new DNA Bill was presented to Cabinet yesterday and was approved. The legislation will be presented to the Parliament at the earliest opportunity, along with the Electronic Tagging Bill and the Abolition of Preliminary Inquiries Bill. Ramlogan told the post-Cabinet news briefing yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair that those three pieces of legislation would form an important tripod in the fight against crime.
"We believe that electronic tagging offers options that are not presently available that can ease the overcrowding in the jails that can allow for different options with respect to the grant of bail at the Magistrates' Court level," he said. "It can also be an effective tool in sentencing that can allow people to remain on the outside but be effectively and appropriately monitored, using the electronic bracelet and GPS technology so that we can keep them out of the jail and from committing crime again." The AG said the abolition of preliminary inquiries would increase the capacity of the magistracy to deal with matters.
Ramlogan said the Government had "done away" with the need for a court order to be obtained to take a DNA sample, except in the case of those suffering from mental illnesses or a minor. "The police will be entitled to take DNA samples from accused persons, suspects and detainees," he said. "We have, of course, expanded the abilities of the police, except where it is an invasive sample and you require medical personnel. "The police will, in fact, be able to take that sample and they will receive proper training to do that in cases where their powers have been enlarged." He said a new clause had been included in the bill to take DNA samples in the interest of national security. He said the DNA database would allow the Government to have in its arsenal, an important tool in the fight against crime.