The government's Stand Your Ground legislation is now headed to the Senate, but not without controversy.
The Bill earned no support from the Opposition in the Lower House, today Former Minister in the Ministry of Finance and San Fernando East MP Brian Manning is dismissing the bill as a political gimmick, saying it will not reduce crime.
00:00The San Fernando East MP argues that not a single government member has produced any data showing stand-your-ground laws make communities safer.
00:12MP Brian Manning warns the legislation could escalate confrontations and turn ordinary citizens into casualties, leaving the real victim at even greater risk of being killed.
00:24And it has been proven by the RAND research. U.S. adopting stand-your-ground laws, and this is home invasion, stand-your-ground, experienced a 7% to 10% increase in homicides.
00:37There has been no reduction in burglary or assault. Studies show these laws did not reduce burglary, robbery or aggravated assault rates.
00:45Disproportionate impact analysis highlights racial disparities. Defenders are more likely to be acquitted when the victim is black.
00:54An escalation of violence. Evidence suggests that instead of encouraging de-escalation, these laws increase the likelihood of lethal outcomes.
01:02An article in the Express newspaper, dated May 3rd, 2023, shows that even the now House Speaker had raised serious concerns about the legislation.
01:13In my respectful view, the common law in relation to self-defense has at its heart the underlying fundamental notion of the stand-your-ground principle,
01:25whilst labelling this discrete principle of the common law with a sensational banner is somewhat attractive.
01:31It must not be forgotten that the common law of self-defense already offers the same degree of protection to persons and homeowners than a separate stand-your-ground legislative provision would provide.
01:45In short, there is no need for new legislation.
01:48Today, Manning is doubling down, saying the PNM will not support any bill that, in his view, fuels confrontation and promotes violence.
02:14That is what this bill has been proven to promote. More and more violence, more and more violent outcomes and interactions between persons.
02:23And this is something that we just cannot support in Trinidad and Tobago.
02:27We, on the opposition side, we are prepared to support any piece of legislation or any initiative that we believe will reduce crime.
02:36But we think that this is a document that is simply designed to cover and hide the failures of this current government.
02:42Manning argues that real crime reduction comes from certainty of punishment, not harsher threats.
02:50He stresses that the national security ministers must step up, and that the country's security forces need the tools, training and support to confront criminals head-on.
03:03Reducing crime in this country is going to call for better policing.
03:07It's going to take some time, it's going to take some hard work.
03:09It's also going to call for creating more opportunity for vulnerable people in this country, not shutting down youth programs, not building more prisons.
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