Trinidad and Tobago is set to become the first Caribbean country to pass legislation specifically aimed at protecting victims of crime and enshrining their rights in law.
The move comes as the Victims’ Rights Bill 2026 was piloted in the Senate on Wednesday by Justice Minister Devesh Maharaj.
Speaking during the second reading of the Bill, he explained that key stakeholders will now be legally required to inform victims about the services available to them and keep them updated on legal proceedings against the accused, including bail applications.
“You feel a little safe, the man behind bars. Bail application coming up, you don’t know what’s going on. You don’t know if this man get bail and he’s outside, and you have to be on your lookout. By this Act, you have to inform the victim if bail has been granted, where, et cetera, so that he can take the necessary precautions.”
The Bill seeks to introduce a framework for monitoring the treatment of victims by investigatory agencies, prosecuting agencies and victim services agencies and to support their recovery process through the use of support services.
Minister Maharaj said the aim is to place victims at the centre of the justice system.
“For too long the victims of crime in Trinidad and Tobago have been made to feel they do not matter to the legal system, that they are instruments of prosecution, not participants in justice, that their pain is procedurally inconvenient. This Bill says otherwise. It says you matter. It says your voice will be heard before decisions are made about your case. It says you will know what is happening and why. It says if the system fails you, you have recourse.”