AG: Rights may be infringed

ATTORNEY General John Jeremie has acknowledged that the Special Operations Bill, 2026, could interfere with several constitutionally protected rights, but says any infringement is reasonable and proportionate when weighed against the need to protect citizens from violent crime and gangs.

Piloting the legislation in the House of Representatives yesterday, Jeremie said Government had carefully considered the constitutional implications of granting enhanced powers to the police and Defence Force.

He said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had emphasised at Wednesday’s sitting that the legislation was also about the rights of people who had borne the brunt of violent crime—“grieving parents, families terrorised in their homes, businesses facing extortion and young persons threatened by gangs”.