The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DAMIAN Gomez, State Minister for Legal Affairs, said the enactment of the Juries Amendment Bill will assist the Christie administration as it continues its assault on crime.

While addressing members of Parliament, Mr Gomez said the changes in law will ensure the Attorney General’s Office is able to operate more efficiently. 

The amendment was tabled in the House of Assembly last month and debate began on the proposed legislation yesterday.

He said the government is working tirelessly to cut away time constraints existing in the justice system and praised the Juries Amendment Bill as legislation to address such a challenge.

“It has the ability of enabling the Attorney General’s Office to improve its efficiencies and to have an internationally accepted conviction rate which would further the appreciation of public safety and enable our public to feel that the entire government is behind the process of ensuing the crime is out and that criminals are hunted down, arrested, charged, tried and if convicted they are sentenced,” he said.

“The temptation to commit crime will be obliterated (with a view) to demonstrate that crime does not pay and if you do the crime you will do the time. It shows the focus of this administration that we are determined and that we are serious.”

Mr Gomez noted that within the court system, certain persons selected for jury duty have been subjected to racial discrimination. He said this is an issue that needs to be addressed and recommended that the legal system soon move toward the English system of hearing trials.

“Members ought to be aware that serious racial discrimination goes on in this challenged system that we have. Because whoever exercises the periphery challenge (on a potential juror) need not give any reason. So you will find in most cases that white people are automatically challenged by council. ‘Conchy joes’ are automatically challenged.

“There is a feeling that they will agree with the prosecution and that they cannot be fair. That is in the legal court and that has happened. The sooner we get to the English system the better,” Mr Gomez said.

The amended legislation will expand the jury pool to allow Family Island residents to participate in jury duty in New Providence and Grand Bahama with their living accommodations, food and transportation costs paid by the government. The bill also places an age limit of 70 on people eligible to sit on a jury.