00:00It was a sharp call and response as opposition MP for Port of Spain's South Keith Scotland and
00:06Defence Minister Wayne Stage clashed over the proposed special operations bill. Scotland raised
00:13constitutional concerns including the potential impact on property rights if an area is designated
00:20as a closed zone. You have your property in one of the districts yes it is there it's going along
00:27its value X. They come now and they designate this area a zone. What happens to the property
00:35there? It's devalued automatically. That is a constitutional infringement under the right
00:43of property. I was a joke the property value because he said that if we declare a place
00:50a closed area that the property value would fall. It would fall lower than it already is
00:59the high crime in that area is what caused it to fall in the first place. Scotland also
01:06used his contribution to defend the PNM's record on crime pointing to previous attempts to introduce
01:11legislation and the death of state prosecutor Randall Hector.
01:16Randall Hector was a friend. We attempted to introduce legislation at a time the SOE at a time when there
01:24were things happening outside the police station and mind you but for that timely intervention blood
01:31would have flowed in the streets of Trinidad and Tobago. God bless the PNM.
01:35Sage countered that the opposition's proposed reliance on existing laws had already been tried
01:40and in his view failed. The member for Port of Spain South said why don't you use the existing laws
01:48the
01:49offenses against the persons act and he listed a whole lot of offenses that's what you were using and
01:53you failed. Scotland's broader concern is that the bill gives the state sweeping powers over movement
02:02and searches. That to impose curfews, that to cord north areas, that to have restrictions upon movement,
02:15warrantless searches, seizure of property and detention without charge.
02:21There was power in the last S3 to ask for a curfew. We didn't. We're not onerous. We're not looking
02:30to take advantage. What we are doing is we are looking to target a minority of people who are causing
02:39mayhem.
02:40The opposition MP challenged the government on emergency situations that require entry into a closed zone.
02:47What happens in the middle of the night when something occurs in the house and somebody needs
02:52to flee? You have to get an intervention and a permit before you die? Madam Deputy Speaker,
03:01the bill automatically exempts senior public officials' operational personnel, but it does not itself
03:08guarantee workable exemptions for doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel.
03:14Serge said concerns raised by the opposition had been considered in drafting the legislation,
03:19including provisions designed to provide additional oversight.
03:23We had inserted into all these places the prime minister. The prime minister had power to do this,
03:29that and the other. You know what they all say? We don't want the prime minister to bring the
03:33president. Now we bring the president. They have a problem. And it's your president who...
03:52So your back is taken care of...
03:55Scotland reinforces the opposition's refusal to support the SO bill.
04:00We say no to tyranny. We say no to unconstitutionality. We say no to hubris. And we say no to
04:16ZOZO.
04:17He comes into this house to defend the rights of those who have been terrorizing the majority of all law
04:27-abiding citizens.
04:34So if he really wants to say no to tyranny, he would support a bill that is designed to end
04:43the tyranny of the criminal class.
04:48The debate continues as government seeks parliamentary approval for the special operations bill,
04:54while the opposition maintains that several of its provisions threaten constitutionally protected rights.
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