Police Bill changes not ‘slipped in’ at last moment — Governor
After coming under fire for being tardy in submitting a highly contentious Police Bill to lawmakers recently, Governor John Rankin has denied that there was any attempt to slip in last-minute changes before it was submitted.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley told the public last week that the Bill – which, among other things, will empower police officers to conduct searches and take DNA samples without the use of a warrant – will not be moved forward in the House of Assembly (HOA) in its current state, given the many concerns that lawmakers held over its various provisions.
Dr Wheatley said legislators will return this week during the final sitting of this HOA with a small amendment to the principal Act in the House, before bringing the controversial revisions back to the public at a later time for additional consultations.
Opposition Leader and Third District Representative Julian Fraser, in the meantime, said he was concerned about police tactics that seek to surreptitiously collect DNA samples from criminal suspects without a warrant, as is currently being done in the United States.
Inaccurate perception
According to Governor Rankin, a number of the issues now being raised were included in the 2019 version of the bill or in the consultations, which took place on the draft legislation last year.
“I agree with the Premier that ideally the Act should have been presented to the House of Assembly sooner,” Governor Rankin said at a press briefing late last week. “But the impression given in some quarters, including social media comments, that most of the amendments to the Act were made at short notice is inaccurate.”
“That is not to say there should not be a proper debate about the bill’s provisions, but any suggestion that a series of major significant changes were slipped in at the last moment is, with respect, not accurate,” he argued.
The governor said while he understood that the Police Act as tabled, has now been withdrawn, he was hopeful that House of Assembly will soon return to it.
“It’s essential that the police are given the modern tools necessary to tackle crime that blights both individual victims and the community as a whole, while also ensuring that individual rights are protected,” Governor Rankin added.
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This governor l**s too much he has lost his credibility in the bvi it’s time he be recalled
Rankin can’t be trusted he l**s to much it’s time for him and Collins and Pam and the rest of those UK officers to leave the vi
Thank goodness we have the Governor to tell us the truth. As to credibility; do we believe the Governor or those party to the barge invoices, and who worked with Head Coach? Remind me where the Head Coach is?
Well written statement and 2 queries.
Head coach still sequestered somewhere in south Florida for some legal problems with various imports bound for USA.
Anybody who support that police bill in its current form clearly feels that human rights shouldn’t exist and that the police should have full discretion to do whatever whenever however they feel like once they claim to be doing it to fight crime… That is not the way.
This man appearing to be more conniving and shady everytime you open his mouth. I believe his time is ending and he just doing the same as the One before him. Putting Government Officials in ants nest and then give negative feedback as to Control and Governance by the Administration.
Call the Governor what he is…A De**l..
That’s what I’m saying. This man only trying to stir up strife. Who cares if the amendments were there before or not. The question is, why tf are those things inserted as amendments in the first place. Why is he not discussing the people’s cries about human rights infringements all over that bill. Look what d ass he focused on. Steupes. Not one single statement on why the bleeding human rights infringements being promoted like in slavery days. Lord deliver your people once and for all. Hmm
I’m in agreement with the governor, The BVI police system is so corrupted, you can’t give them this type of power and expect them to execute it with discretion.
First of all they are trying to make it seem like this is being done in the US, that is a lie.
First of all the US does not and I repeat does not have the authority to enter any where without a warrant, what they have is a no knock warrant where they can enter a premises without knocking or announcing but they still have that written and signed warrant issued by a judge.
I am not sure about the collection of DNA but I think that they can only collect DNA and register it for felons they can’t register that for innocents as that would be an invasion of their privacy.
The US is slowly controlling the containment of know and unknown felons cause if you would notice to enter the United States you have to provide your finger prints, immigration is slowly spreading it out for more and more control. When it was first started only non residents had to do it now everyone has to. Keep watching