Bill to Disrupt Activities of Organised Criminal Groups to be Tabled Soon

National Security Minister, Hon. Peter Bunting, says the long-awaited Criminal Justice (Suppression of Organised Criminal Groups) Act is slated to be tabled in Parliament as early as next week.

Making his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 19, Mr. Bunting announced that the Legislative Committee of Cabinet has approved the Bill.

He further informed that the Bill, which aims to suppress and disrupt the activities of organised criminal groups, will make consequential amendments to existing legislation.

Meanwhile, the Security Minister informed that the DNA Evidence Bill will be tabled in Parliament within the next couple of months.

The legislation seeks to empower the relevant authorities to take DNA samples from persons arrested in relation to specified offences.

“We are now awaiting responses from the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Legal Reform Department for their review and comments on the Bill,” he said.

Mr. Bunting also noted that the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) (Amendment) Bill, which aims to increase the penalty for the offence of trafficking in persons, is expected to be debated and passed in Parliament within the next two weeks.

The Bill, which also makes new provisions for offences akin to trafficking and other related matters, was tabled in the House of Representatives some three weeks ago.

“This is the final in a series of measures designed to respond to the downgrading of our status to the Tier-2 watch list on the US State Department 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report,” the Minister said.

Contact: Athaliah Reynolds-Baker