Parliamentarians continue debate in National Assembly on Tuesday

Hon Sam Condor

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 29TH 2011 (CUOPM) – Parliamentarians in St. Kitts and Nevis will continue to debate The Solid Waste Management (Amendment) Bill 2011 before tackling The Gang (Prohibition and Prevention) Bill 2011. The session began on August 12th.

The lawmakers will also debate The Cooperative Societies Bill, 2011 which stands in the name of Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce, and Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Marine Resource, Cooperatives and Constituency Empowerment, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.

The Gang (Prohibition and Prevention) Bill, 2011, was first introduced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Sam Condor, at the June 2nd sitting.

It seeks to make provision for the maintenance of public safety and public order by discouraging persons from joining membership of criminal gangs and by suppressing gang-related activities.

The Bill also seeks to enhance law enforcement in the area of investigation and prosecution of criminal gangs and to deter and punish crime committed in concert by a gang, and in that connection it seeks to protect law – abiding citizens and communities from such crimes.

The Bill seeks to facilitate prosecution and reform of juveniles found to be members of such gangs who commit crimes in concert with gangs and the establishment of gang prevention programmes.