"The full weight of the law should be brought down upon those who are involved in criminal activity, within the sphere of fundamental human rights for all," she said at a reception for Commonwealth North Atlantic Law Ministers Meeting meeting in Port of Spain.
She added that her government has made significant strides in reforming the judicial system. "The cornerstones of the Criminal Justice System are being reshaped. As we progress, there is to be a zero-tolerance approach to crime."
Her speech is transcribed below:
As I stand at the helm of this great Nation, I encourage you to reflect on the significance of this landmark year and on the associations that have been fostered and developed over time between our nations, facilitated by our unique history and heritage.
Many voices will partake in conversations with you over the next two days, including those of top-level government administrators, policy makers, and independent analysts and you will come away with many innovative initiatives that are being implemented around the world as part of best-practice in the administration of criminal justice.
I too would like to add my voice and take the opportunity to outline for you the forward-thinking approaches adopted by my government with a view to administering and managing the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2010, our Government inherited a situation that necessitated immediate action since that time, my government has embarked on a number of initiatives geared toward providing a secure, prosperous and sustainable Nation for the enjoyment of all.
My government identified high levels of crime as an area of tremendous importance requiring immediate intervention in an effort to stem the avalanche of chaos that was being meted out to our law abiding citizens. Consequently, my government took the initiative to, focus on National and Personal Security with a view to providing Human Security for Peace and Prosperity to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Over the past two (2) years, my Government has been working assiduously to put mechanisms in place to ensure that our citizens can face a future in which security of the person and of property is of paramount importance, in an environment that is fair and just.
Many voices will partake in conversations with you over the next two days, including those of top-level government administrators, policy makers, and independent analysts and you will come away with many innovative initiatives that are being implemented around the world as part of best-practice in the administration of criminal justice.
I too would like to add my voice and take the opportunity to outline for you the forward-thinking approaches adopted by my government with a view to administering and managing the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2010, our Government inherited a situation that necessitated immediate action since that time, my government has embarked on a number of initiatives geared toward providing a secure, prosperous and sustainable Nation for the enjoyment of all.
My government identified high levels of crime as an area of tremendous importance requiring immediate intervention in an effort to stem the avalanche of chaos that was being meted out to our law abiding citizens. Consequently, my government took the initiative to, focus on National and Personal Security with a view to providing Human Security for Peace and Prosperity to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Over the past two (2) years, my Government has been working assiduously to put mechanisms in place to ensure that our citizens can face a future in which security of the person and of property is of paramount importance, in an environment that is fair and just.
We have made the following promises and we have instituted very deliberate measures to deliver on same. These included an intention:
- [to] focus on addressing social issues which nurture an environment where crime tends to flourish
- [to] rethink the prison system, reorganise the justice system and make interventions of a proactive and preventative nature”
- [to] establish… a regime of peace, security and prosperity on a sustainable basis for our nation
All this, in an effort to address the challenge presented to my government as we continue to address the lawlessness and disorder that currently plagues our society and work towards its transformation into one in which peace, security and prosperity are sustained.
Our government is committed to taking a multipronged approach that is intended to address the political, economic, social, technological and managerial dimensions required to reinstate safety and security in society.
As an Attorney at law, I have always felt quite passionately about the state of the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago. From as early as 1998, when I functioned in the capacity of Minister of Legal Affairs, I acknowledged that there were many things that could have been done with respect to improving the administration of justice in this country.
Our government is committed to taking a multipronged approach that is intended to address the political, economic, social, technological and managerial dimensions required to reinstate safety and security in society.
As an Attorney at law, I have always felt quite passionately about the state of the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago. From as early as 1998, when I functioned in the capacity of Minister of Legal Affairs, I acknowledged that there were many things that could have been done with respect to improving the administration of justice in this country.
As a part of the government of the day, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to contribute to the transformation of the criminal justice landscape through the introduction of pieces of legislation that were geared towards brings effectiveness and efficiency to a lethargic system.
My government should be commended for its role in ensuring that legal aid and advice in Trinidad and Tobago is made readily available for persons of small or moderate means, with the cost of same being defrayed wholly or partly out of moneys provided by Parliament and the passage of legislation to effect same is a most appropriate supplement to these Constitutional provisions.
There have been many positive interventions in the restructuring of the Criminal Justice system. The Ministry of Justice is mandated to overhaul the Criminal Justice System with the modernisation of the system; innovative and aggressive legislative roll-out; Penal System Reform and the construction of Courts. This Ministry is pivotal to criminal justice reform.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Caribbean Human Development Report 2012 - Human Development and the Shift to Better Citizen Security, speaks to the adoption of a citizen-centred approach to security.
My government should be commended for its role in ensuring that legal aid and advice in Trinidad and Tobago is made readily available for persons of small or moderate means, with the cost of same being defrayed wholly or partly out of moneys provided by Parliament and the passage of legislation to effect same is a most appropriate supplement to these Constitutional provisions.
There have been many positive interventions in the restructuring of the Criminal Justice system. The Ministry of Justice is mandated to overhaul the Criminal Justice System with the modernisation of the system; innovative and aggressive legislative roll-out; Penal System Reform and the construction of Courts. This Ministry is pivotal to criminal justice reform.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Caribbean Human Development Report 2012 - Human Development and the Shift to Better Citizen Security, speaks to the adoption of a citizen-centred approach to security.
The efforts of my Government in the Criminal Justice sphere reflect inter alia, the Report’s recommendation of reforming the justice system. The efforts of my Government speak cogently to a commitment to promote and make certain citizen security. The full weight of the law should be brought down upon those who are involved in criminal activity, within the sphere of fundamental human rights for all.
Justice delayed is justice denied. The initiatives that have been implemented can only result in the proper administration of the Criminal Justice System and an increased confidence of the general citizenry in a strong justice system that is functioning efficiently and effectively.
Justice delayed is justice denied. The initiatives that have been implemented can only result in the proper administration of the Criminal Justice System and an increased confidence of the general citizenry in a strong justice system that is functioning efficiently and effectively.
This Government has introduced legislation that will contribute to a more effective and timely delivery of justice to our citizens such as the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act, 2011, which has abolished preliminary enquiries at the Magistrates Courts and will result in the faster delivery of justice to persons awaiting trial; the DNA Act 2012 and the impending introduction of new Prison Rules.
The legislation forms part of overarching efforts of the Government to overhaul the justice system in Trinidad and Tobago, to reduce the backlog in our Courts and minimise further delays to the administration of justice. The reform of the justice system is also aimed at rebalancing the system in favour of the victims of crime, with emphasis on the protection for the rights of victims, witnesses and jurors.
The cornerstones of the Criminal Justice System are being reshaped. As we progress, there is to be a zero-tolerance approach to crime. Those responsible for the administration of justice can only benefit from the knowledge that will be gained over these next two days, as we exchange ideas and discuss the way forward in our fight against crime.
The legislation forms part of overarching efforts of the Government to overhaul the justice system in Trinidad and Tobago, to reduce the backlog in our Courts and minimise further delays to the administration of justice. The reform of the justice system is also aimed at rebalancing the system in favour of the victims of crime, with emphasis on the protection for the rights of victims, witnesses and jurors.
The cornerstones of the Criminal Justice System are being reshaped. As we progress, there is to be a zero-tolerance approach to crime. Those responsible for the administration of justice can only benefit from the knowledge that will be gained over these next two days, as we exchange ideas and discuss the way forward in our fight against crime.
No comments:
Post a Comment