Parliamentary Committee to consider bill to abolish preliminary enquiries

Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter

The House of Representatives today gave approval for six MPs to sit with members of the Senate to consider and report on the proposed bill to amend the Committal Proceedings Act.

The MPs are Patrick Atkinson, Arnaldo Brown, Raymond Pryce, Sharon Ffolkes Abrahams, Delroy Chuck and Marisa Dalrymple Philibert.

The Committal Proceedings Act proposes to do away with preliminary enquiries in criminal matters.

It was tabled in the Senate last June while the Jamaica Labour Party had State power.

At the time, Dorothy Lightbourne, who was the justice minister, said it was very urgent, and was part of the fight against crime.

But the bill did not receive the support of the Opposition.

Senator KD Knight had proposed that the bill be sent to a joint select committee for consideration and report.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com