The Prime Minister says the Government will be seeking the support of members of the Opposition in the Parliament for the passage of a few pieces of legislation, including two meant to help improve the State's war on crime.
Among them, a bill to ban assault weapons and other for undercover operations by law enforcement.
00:00During his contribution to the debate of the government's budget for fiscal 2025
00:05on Thursday, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley responded to a concern raised by
00:10Shoguness West MP Dinesh Rambali previously in the debate in the House of Representatives.
00:15The member for Shoguness West raised an issue about doing something to bring our children home from the conflict zones and he spoke very emphatically about that.
00:29We're not doing anything, but it's a very difficult assignment and I want to give the member the assurance that what is in place, we continue to try to make an effort to bring those children back here.
00:43The Prime Minister then announced that the government is also taking a legislative approach.
00:48What we have to do and what we are working on is to create a mechanism for the government to control return and entry of Trinidad and Tobago nationals from conflict zones abroad.
01:01So that would require a special majority in that legislation and today I am instructing the Attorney General to speak to all members on the other side,
01:11especially those who have indicated and as the draft is ready to make the draft available to them and we will see who will come to this house and support it so we can advance that.
01:21The Prime Minister said the government will also be seeking the support of members of the opposition to pass legislation to deal with what most consider to be the number one concern in Trinidad and Tobago and a major concern for other member states of the Caribbean community, Caracol.
01:39We have a firearms amendment bill to come to ban assault weapons and high powered rifles from this country's streets and I want to see who is going to support that. We are looking at it in CARICOM.
01:52During the original symposium on crime as a public health concern at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain in April of last year, CARICOM heads of government took the decision to ban the use of assault weapons in the civilian populations of their respective states.
02:09Madam Speaker, there is a requirement to bring legislation to ban assault weapons in Trinidad and Tobago and we will ask our colleagues on the other side to support that legislation so assault weapons will have no place in Trinidad and Tobago, purchased anywhere or illegally entering this country.
02:31Dr. Rawley also said the government is seeking support from the opposition for another crime fighting bill as he responded to a concern raised by Marau MP Roshan Parry.
02:42I heard the member from Marau say that he will support legislation that he thinks is in the public interest. We have a control operations bill to come to enable law enforcement to conduct undercover operations and gather evidence while maintaining public safety and ensuring successful prosecution as soon as that draft is available.
03:05I will ask the member, the Attorney General, to make it available to them on the other side and then we come back to the House and we will see who will vote for it.
03:13The Marau MP led a slate which lost to the slate endorsed by the opposition leader in the UNC's national executive elections held earlier this year.
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