00:00Former House Speaker and Attorney at Law Nizam Mohamed says he supports measures to confront serious crime,
00:07but, he believes, the public unease surrounding the legislation cannot be ignored.
00:13He is particularly questioning the decision to advance the bill on a simple majority,
00:18given the extent to which it could affect constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
00:24The biggest concern, I believe, is whether or not such a bill which is so akin to a state of
00:39emergency
00:40does not infringe the constitution and, as such, does not require a three-fifths majority.
00:50I think there is where the big concern is.
00:54However, while government points to safeguards within the legislation,
00:59Mohamed says the mechanisms for independent oversight may not go far enough.
01:04This follows recent statements by the Prime Minister
01:07that there will be no special operations in PNM constituencies.
01:12That is a very bad signal.
01:14It shows the difference between judicial considerations and judicial utterances
01:21and that of the politician.
01:25Immediately, immediately, we can cite a terrible imbalance in such an approach.
01:37He tells the morning edition,
01:39the debate so far has largely been driven by political positions,
01:44leaving unanswered questions that continue to fuel public uncertainty.
01:49Whether it was a threat, whether it was a bait to the politicians on the other side,
01:55the fact of the matter, it was said by the Prime Minister,
01:59and it is something that is so impractical,
02:04not only impractical,
02:05but it is something that creates more confusion
02:11than actually clearing the air as to where we are heading
02:17and the course we are charting out
02:21as being destined for peace and for stability.
02:27Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
