PM announces legal team to deal with SOE cases; committee to study root causes of crime

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday announced the immediate establishment of a high powered legal team to assist police in processing, case preparation and case flow management of persons arrested during the state of emergency.

She said the team was selected by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

"This measure is necessary to ensure that the police have immediate access to the required legal expertise and strengthen the capacity of the state to deal with the avalanche of cases" she said.

She added that there will be four teams led by eminent and reputable members of the Inner criminal bar. The lawyers are:

• Dana Seetahal
• Pamela Elder
• Israeli Khan
• Theodore Guerra
• Larry Lalla
• Sophie Chote
• Ravi Rajkumar
• Selwyn Ramlal
• Wayne Rajbansee
• Haresh Ramnath
• Shastri Persad
• Ulric P. Skerrit

Persad-Bissessar also announced that a team headed by Professor Selwyn Ryan is being established "to seek out the root causes of criminality and suggest solutions." In addition, she said she is setting up a crime reduction committee comprising:

• The Minister of National Security
• The Attorney General
• The Minister of Justice
• The Minister of the People and Social Development
• The Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development
• A Representatives from the chamber of commerce and business community
• A child psychologist, a probation officer and labour representative

Other measures include:

• The establishment of an information desk in the Public Affairs Section in the police service to provide information and assistance to concerned parents and families regarding the status and whereabouts of their loved ones whom they have reason to think may have be arrested by the police 
• The development of a policy by the office of the DPP to give consideration to an amnesty for cases involving minor offenses over five years old. The DPP shall retain and exercise his independent constitutional discretion in this regard
• The creation of a new policy and procedure for the Mercy Committee to enlarge the number of persons who no longer pose a threat to society and may be favourably considered for the grant of a presidential pardon
• The establishment of a special counselling and rehabilitation unit within the prisons system to concentrate on young offenders