No infringement of constitutional rights, says AG

Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte has come out in strong defense of the Jamaican Government’s proposed Zone of  Special Operations Act, declaring that the Andrew Holness administration is serious about stemming violent crimes in Jamaica.

The bill, which could provide the security forces with powers to search places, vehicles or persons within specific areas without a warrant, came under attack from the opposition during a meeting of a Joint Select Committee of Parliament on Wednesday. 

The Opposition spokesperson for National Security and Justice both argued that the legislation was unnecessary and unconstitutional and could create more problems than it would solve. 

But the Attorney General countered that the Opposition had made “a broad and sweeping statement… about the bill being unconstitutional without any backup statement as to which provision infringes on any provision of the Constitution.”

She asserted that the government, in crafting the bill, “had at the forefront the fact that the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons in Jamaica is to be respected, and that is non-negotiable.”