Attorney General John Jeremie dismissed criticism of the Special Operations Bill by the Opposition as “hypocritical”.
The Attorney General, during his closing contribution in the Senate on Thursday morning, said the legislation is not new or untested. He said details were available at the Law Reform Commission within the Office of the Attorney General, and that it was based on an established legislative framework.
“This is not legislation that fell like manna from heaven. It is legislation that was sitting in the AG’s office for years.”
“Now, Mr. President, the bill before us, we see, is a proportionate response to a problem that we have in Trinidad and Tobago and our friends and colleagues opposite did not have the courage to treat with head on. They had the knowledge because the Law Reform Commission was doing its work. They had the work product. They had the relationships, which we have.”
The AG noted that the previous government had access to the model through Jamaica’s implementation of similar legislation and its operations.
The Special Operations Bill was passed in the Senate after Senate President Wade Mark exercised his casting vote to break the 15–15 deadlock.