Cabinet approves draft Police Amendment Bill
Weeks after the House of Assembly (HOA) passed a watered-down version of the highly controversial Police Act, Cabinet has now reviewed and approved a new draft Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
While details of the new draft Bill have not yet been revealed, a Cabinet post-meeting statement released late last week, noted that Cabinet decided the Bill will be introduced in the House for its first reading at the next convenient sitting.
The new Bill is now expected to be brought before the HOA in the Fifth Session of the House of Assembly after elections are held today and the next government is sworn into office.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley stated previously that the government would bring an amended bill after the previous bill faced intense public backlash over some of its more draconian provisions.
Among those provisions was that police should be granted immunity, if they used reasonable force in the execution of their duties once this was done under the authority of a warrant issued by a judge, magistrate, or Justice of the Peace. However, the term ‘reasonable force’ was never defined in the proposed Bill.
Sections 190 and 191 of the previous bill which was rejected by lawmakers, stated that a police officer may use force, if necessary, and “as is reasonable in the circumstances, in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or in assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large”.
Other issues which surrounded the rejection of the previous bill included a provision to collect DNA and other ‘intimate samples’ such as semen from criminal suspects without the use of a warrant as well as provisions for searches to be conducted on persons and at properties without the use of a warrant.
Governor John Rankin, who holds responsibility over the police force in the territory, insisted at the time that the Bill had not been rushed to the HOA and said his aim had only been for the territory to have an updated Police Act.
He also suggested in the process that the existing legislation was deficient in the area of modern policing techniques, such as taking DNA samples.
That element of the bill was later addressed when lawmakers passed a revised version of the proposed legislation weeks ago.
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Vote out the VIP party. The majority do not read Bills but the majority passing the Bills. We do not need that level of cluelessness in 2023 and onward. Vote them out!
PROPAGANDA AT IT’S BEST ALL IN THE EFFORT TO REMOVE VIP
by the people today and maybe the Guv later this week will determine how ‘swiftly’ this draft law becomes a new law in the lawless BVI.
Some call it propaganda but it is reality and the reality is that this country is in a MESS because of the VIP party. NOTHING to do with Irma. NOTHING to do with Covid. Imagine how many bills passed that they did not read? And who in that party has the competence right now to negotiate any draft bill that has been laid in the house? They get the majority votes of which bills pass and which ones dont? DISASTER…worst than Irma, worst than Covid. Irma and covid stripped a lot of things but it did not strip the people of their fundamental human rights. The incompetent, cant read VIP party did that but thank goodness the people made noise about it. They have to go, for the best interest of this country, its people and for generations to come.
Can the election officials please shut down VINO today because they are engaging in activities that amount to campaigning on their website, on election day, which I believe is illegal.
Notice this Bill & making sure more of his kind get status are the main focus of this Governor. The Governor intends to turn this country into a police state with his UK Commissioner of Police where the citizens will have little or no rights under these new proposed laws. The Human Rights Bill should be passed first. I am for justice, but I am also for balance and fairness because absolute power corrupts absolutely.
How convenient of you to post this story this morning.
I await to hear your response this time next year.
Just as we take fingerprints on anyone. Wanting to work in BVI we should also take a DNA sample .
Well said. Wish I can love your post 100 times! They quick to blame the pandemic for the mess we are in but used the two major hurricanes against the NDP for power.
he has been spewing propaganda before for years now , and he is even blogging under different names on the same sites that he has been criticizing to create drama ,just like how he wanted to turn the HOA into his own play pen , so blondie on the loose again, (the esteemed one ) went to his head , and he really believes it ?