Government secured passage of the Administration of Justice (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) Bill 2011 after a seven-hour sitting on Wednesday.Justice Minister Herbert Volney, in presenting the legislation, commonly referred to as the DNA bill, said when it becomes law the police would be better able to catch criminals in this country.It seeks to repeal and replace the existing DNA Act.
The bill is intended to strengthen and expand the framework within which intimate and non-intimate samples can be taken for forensic DNA analysis.It sets out the conditions under which DNA samples may be taken from victims of sexual offences, children or incapable persons on grounds of national security, from citizens of T&T who have been deported from any place outside the jurisdiction and from non-citizens who have been detained in Trinidad and Tobago under the Immigration Detention Act.
The bill was approved by a vote of 28 for and nine against. This means the Government obtained the required three/fifths vote. The bill will now go to the Senate for approval.