The fate of the proposed witness protection bill is up in the air, after the four and a half year Parliamentary session closed yesterday, terminating all pending legislation.
Speaking to the media at yesterday’s prorogation of Parliament, Maurice Tynes, Chief Clerk in the House of Assembly, said the bill was one of nine facing termination.
According to House of Assembly documents, the bill would “protect persons appearing as witnesses in judicial proceedings, by providing for their participation in a programme designed for ensuring their safety. [This] would enable them to carry out their civic duty as witnesses with confidence, when there is a threat to their safety or property arising from their carrying out of that duty.”
Mr Tynes added the prorogation, which terminates a session of parliament, is the first for the current PLP government. “This is the first prorogation for [Perry Christie’s] administration since 2002,” he said. “So what will happen now is the session that started on the 22 of May now ends today. A new session of Parliament begins with the opening on February 15. That session would end by either prorogation or dissolutionï¾–[ending of parliament in preparation for election].”
Eight other unresolved bills still before the House, including, the bill for an Act to amend The Supreme Court Act, a bill for an Act to amend The Rent Control Act, and a bill for an Act to Prohibit the payment out of the consolidated fund of a Prime Minister’s Pension while that person holds office, face termination. “What happens now is all the matters on the agenda of the Senate and the House would be terminated by this prorogation, unless special provision was made to carry that business over to the next session,” Mr Tynes explained. “That is the real effect of the prorogation. It ends all pending business before parliament. What the prorogation also does, is allow the government to set up a new legislative agenda.”
Source: The Nassau Guardian
