News Blogger: Protection

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Judges need protection, says Opposition

Wednesday, January 28, 2015 | 2:35 PM

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition spokesman on justice and justice reform, Senator Alexander Williams has expressed shock and amazement at the minister of national security’s announcement of plans to review the assignment of close protection police personnel for the protection of judges.

“There can be no argument that our judges should retain police protection. In deciding on cases, whether civil or criminal, their will oftentimes be disgruntled parties who will harbour resentment that can lead to criminal conduct, and that might well be targeted at the judge”.

“The rhetoric coming from the Government is that they are on a path to improve the administration of justice and to strengthen the justice system. How can that not include protection of the judiciary?

“We, the Opposition, are entirely opposed to any review of close protection for the judges, which is a totally unnecessary exercise. They must have protection,” he said.

He warned the minister of national security that he was travelling down a dangerous road, and said any attempt to weaken the justice system would be met with stiff opposition.

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Judges need protection, says Opposition

Monday, January 12, 2015

ONLINE READERS COMMENT: Little protection in the Witness Protection Act

Saturday, January 10, 2015 | 1:48 PM

Dear Editor,

We have seen and have sincerely regretted the fact that the New Year has began with 24 people being murdered in seven days.

Our legislators have assured us, with convincing words, that they will not allow crime to gallop away in 2015.

But, the fact is that no matter how often we have been told by the ruling authorities of their passion to tackle crime, no matter how serious or how committed they seem to be, in the final analysis, the crime monster always seems to be winning the battle, or having the upper-hand.

In other words crime is out of control, sometimes it’s slightly down, then it rises again; and too many people are dying.

When we hear the talk so many times, of bringing the crime under control, that means, it’s already out of control. It’s bigger than us and the monster still stands tall–undefeated. We need to bring him down.

One of the key strategies in fighting crime is that people should be free and fearless to report crime, or to give evidence in court; and this means, feeling a great sense of security and reliance in the Witness Protection Act.

But lamentable, this is not so as people are in fear of their lives. Some of them have been killed for giving evidence. We cannot confide in the Witness Protection Act, and this is a great-blow to the crime fighting strategies.

We talk about putting measures in place; one of the most serious and deadly measures that needs to be put in place, when crime gets beastly bad, is to unleash the death-penalty. The more devastating and out of control the crime-rate is, it’s the more we should speed-up the death-penalty.