Submitted by Anthony Davis
“Prominent attorney Andrew Pilgrim has raised alarm about a piece of legislation, already approved in the House of Assembly, which removes the rights of accused persons to remain silent. According to Pilgrim, the Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2014, which is set to go before the Senate on Friday, was last year pushed through the House without proper debate and public consultation and he argued it was injustice” – Barbados Today 14 January, 2015
Just when I thought that this Government could do us nothing more to deflate the egos of the populace of this country, up it comes with a piece of skulduggery which takes us deeper into the Mariana Trench. Every man jack in Barbados must stand up and be counted on this one!
It is no use saying I’m a police officer, lawyer, bricklayer, or whatever trade or calling one deems fit to mention, because it would apply to every one of us. This is, according to Minister Steve Blackett, a “people-centred” Government. Please tell me where the centre is? Mr. Blackett probably means concentric circles with them at the centre of all of the others, and after them the deluge.
It is unfathomable how any Government which should be caring for its citizens and those who choose to make Barbados their home – and let us not forget who have to pay them from the leftovers after all of the taxes with which they have burdened us – has the audacity to try to take away our rights as laid down in our Constitution.
If we do not have the same as what the Americans call their “Miranda” rights – after a US Supreme Court ruling establishing such rights in 1972 – read to us we would be up the creek without a paddle. Why must everything be done covertly by this Government?
This sneak amendment must be brought before Parliament and those abiding in this country, if not it must be deemed null and void, because nothing in our Constitution should be changed without it being discussed in Parliament, but it was only done during the absence of the Opposition. I think that it is high time that this Government step down, or the Governor General should make them do so.
As long as any Government encroaches on the rights of its populace, and wants to turn it into a dictatorship, there should be only one way out!
This was done so covertly that not one of them thought about his constituents and that he must go to them during the next election, but I guess that they could not care less. They should be made to forfeit every penny they should get as pension from the taxpayers of this country.
Do you think that the many tourists who visit Barbados will be pleased to hear that the Government wants to take away the “Miranda” rights of its populace, thereby totally disregarding its Constitution by subterfuge?
Those in the EU, Canada, and the USA would look for other places to spend their money. How many people do you hear spending their holidays in Russia or North Korea?
“You may deceive all the people part of the time, and part of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time.” –
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.