Next week, Parliament will consider three key pieces of legislation addressing rising youth crime: the Anti-Gang Bill, the Child Justice (Amendment) Bill, and the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill. The cabinet reviewed these bills on Wednesday.
These laws mainly aim to tackle the surge in criminal activities involving young people.
While the Cabinet acknowledged the potential benefits of increased minimum sentences, they also noted constitutional concerns about limiting judicial discretion.
For example, despite proposing a two-year minimum sentence for gun crimes, the Cabinet agreed on a five-year minimum, allowing judges and magistrates to adjust sentences based on individual cases.
The Cabinet will consult with various stakeholders—including judges, police, the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, the Bar Association, religious groups, the business community, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and NGOs—before finalizing these bills.
Additionally, a Criminal Justice Board will be established to review legislative drafts related to crime, ensuring a broad range of input before bills reach Parliament.
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This is a step in the right direction! I like the sound of this!
Oh yes this is a good step going forward
I commend the government for taking these long overdue steps to curb the spate of crime that has been unleashed on our beloved country.
The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill is of critical importance. The Marijuana Legislation can and should be repealed throughout the entire Caribbean as it is inimical to our educational policies and national development. The selfish, misguided and myopic condescension to the Rastafarian subculture has virtually destroyed many young lives and left the region in a worse state. Political parties have erred in thinking that the votes of a vocal minority constitutes a benefit when, in truth and in fact, undesirable consequences affecting a larger demographic (our impressionable youth) has been the reality. We cannot now recapture all the horses that have bolted, but it is certainly within our power to guard the legislative barn doors to prevent a future recurrence.
@Charlie Simon, yet and yet again, over and over again, the Rastafarian Cujture is taking the beating for society’s ills, and in particular, in the Caribbean Region.
It’s evident, and has being proven over the last hundred years, that not ONLY is the Rastafarian Culture isn’t a VIOLENT ONE. The music produced, the uplifting of the Alkebulan/African lineage, heritage, culture have testified to this as they’ve being and still spreading around the HUEman world like #wild_fire within other cultures.
The reasons for this is pellucid.
It’s regrettable, yet understandable, as to why the Rastafarian Cujture has being the SCAPEGOAT. In the first instance, it has broken the SHACKLES & CHAINS which were removed from the Africans and their descendants feet and infused into their thought processes, again for control by the oligarchs, plutocrats, demigods and media(mediums).
Rather, than keep focusing on the Rastafarian Cujture, as being the leading causes for the ills in society, why isn’t your focus placed on Catholism which has destroyed millions of HUEmans through mental, spiritual and physical abuse, by such means and methods as pedophilia, homosexuality, wars and inquisitions. Put up a cool million and lose it, if you’re so inclined to do so based upon the FACTS which have being presented to you, thus far.
Furthermore, as it pertains to Antigua, Barbuda & REDONDA, why haven’t hypocrites such as you, highlight the influx of COCAINE, GUNS, PROSTITUTES(male & female), OPIOIDS(manufactured, marketed and distributed legally, by the Pharmaceutical and Medical Society/fraternity)?
Why not go after the Asian, Arab, Expat, CIPERS, Old English subcultures which have easy access to the Nation’s porous borders which is conducive for SMUGGLING of any type of contrabands and other illegal goods and products?
Why don’t you attack the HOMOSEXUAL HUEman SUB-SPECIES/CULTURE, of the LGQBTAP+ Order? Don’t you thing the lack of procreation by our people is causing or will cause the continued genocide of a certain class of HUEmans?
Why are you interested, in the ORDER of HYRAM ABIFF and its subcultures/orders of white collar criminals, odd_fellas, charlatans and most of all crooked, lying politicians?
So you see @Charlie Simon there are a whole set of negatives which you are bypassing to get to the Rastafarian Cujture and blame it for the ills caused by far more dangerous and nefarious cultures.
Ah Wah Ras Tafar I do R U so?
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg👣Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
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