Govt proposes no jury for blood crime; PNM refuses to support plan

Jack Warner with the PM and Leader of Government Business Roodal Moonilal (Guardian Photo)

National Security Minister Jack Warner told legislators on Friday the Government is considering a proposal to abolish the use of juries for blood crimes.

Speaking in the House of Representatives Warner said the measure is among the latest being implemented by the Government to deal with the escalating murder rate. 

"The Attorney General has also proposed that we consider the abolition of jury trial for blood crimes or violent crimes. This will allow judges more time and result in a quicker trial time," the minister stated.

He said he would announce more details "in due course" and urged the opposition to work with the administration to deal with the crime problem.

“We should put T&T first,” Warner stated, adding that T&T "needs all hands on deck in this war against crime" because criminals are "bent on terrorising our decent, hard-working, law-abiding citizens."

However he didn't get the opposition response that he wanted. Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald said taking away jury trials amounts to an erosion of democracy.

She stated: "We pride ourselves as being a democratic nation, having a free and fair judiciary. What do you think the international community will be saying about us when we remove jury trials for such crimes?”

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is on record as saying his team would consider supporting the Government in crime-fighting measures. However McDonald said the PNM was not aware of this measure when Rowley made that pledge. “We are all taken by surprise here," she declared.