THE PRIME MINISTER has alleged that some people charged with serious criminal offences and who are out on bail, are carrying out criminal business, a part of which involves “paying the lawyer and bail man.”
Speaking during the Conversations with the Prime Minister forum on May 23 at the Scarborough Library, Tobago, Dr Rowley was highly critical of the justice system as it relates to treatment of those who commit murders and other violent crimes.
Referring specifically to those out on bail for violent acts, Rowley said, “Is a business they are carrying on, and the system facilitates it, because the system is skewed towards the rights of those people and not the rights of the victim.
“And until we start to look at these things from that perspective, then they laughing at us all the time, because the delay diminishes the horror of crime when crime takes place. So we need to be able to dispense justice faster and more effectively.”
This is not the first time the PM has had similar views on the justice system.
At a conversations forum in March 2022, he said then that in the last seven years, despite the resources and priority accorded to the Judiciary, he has not seen any acceleration of justice.
According to a Newsday article on March 9, 2022, Rowley said, “The delivery of justice in TT is unacceptably slow. I have been PM for seven years, I have given the Judiciary priority, hundreds of millions of dollars in resources, I ensured that the Parliament that was not being repaired, that it was repaired to completion, and the space the Parliament was occupying on the waterfront, we made it entirely available to the Judiciary, to have 75 additional courts.
“We have increased the numbers of masters and judges, removed from the judicial system 100,000-plus motor car cases, we’re giving demerit points rather than going before judges and magistrates, we’ve cut hundreds of thousands of cases from the system, and I have not haven't seen any acceleration of justice in TT.”
CRIME IS GOOD BUSINESS
Responding to a question on Thursday evening, from Mason Hall resident Wayne Pierre, about government’s plans to reduce crime, Rowley said, “In terms of what we can do to reduce the instances of crime and make the place safer, what we aim to do is to not let crime pay. If there are people who believe they can commit crime with impunity, they will do it and others will join them so there is an increase.
“But we have to have systems in place where for those who have broken the law and commit especially violent crimes, that they are held to account in a very real and effective manner and then we get justice on time.”
He said, unfortunately, much of that is not happening.
“In fact, it is now good business and the criminals do it. If you banish the apprehended, there is a very good chance that he will be getting grandchildren before your case goes to the courthouse. That is an area of serious concern to me.”
Rowley said although the police “do a significant amount of good work and will apprehend somebody, for some re
