Huge expenditure anticipated with passage of Juvenile Justice Bill

Jan 18, 2018 News

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

The long-awaited promised Juvenile Justice Bill is yet to be brought to the National Assembly, but the coalition Government is anticipating doling out major funding to implement a number of the provisions that seek to implement more rehabilitative programmes for youth offenders.

The revised draft Bill which seeks to reform the entire juvenile justice system is in the process of being finalised before it is tabled in the House.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan stated that persons must appreciate that when laws are passed there is cost associated with setting up new institutions and provisions.

“The difficulty I have is that it [Juvenile Justice Bill] is calling for a lot of expenses for the halfway houses and so on that we have to put up,” Ramjattan stated.

He stated that a request was made to the Inter-American Development Bank to undertake a cost analysis of implementing the provisions of the Bill. This should have been completed last year, but is expected this year.

“Yes, we are going to pass the Juvenile Justice Bill. It will be made into an Act, but when it is made in an Act, where are the probation officers, social workers, institutions, people who are going to feed them? All of that…we want to know what to budget for in the passing of it. If it is that we have to budget $300 to $400 million to ensure that the bill which is now an Act can be enforced,’ Ramjattan stated.

The draft Bill is expected to decriminalise offences such as truancy and wandering and deal with issues of youth sentencing. The Bill is also expected to address the age of criminal responsibility.

Overall, the Bill aims to “have a more modern system of dealing with juvenile justice,” to stand in conformity with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The draft Bill was first conceived under the previous administration with support and input from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in 2004. After consultations and input by stakeholders such as the Rights of the Child Commission, the first draft was produced in 2007.

However, progress on the bill was delayed for seven years. Attempts were made to revive the process in 2014, but it was the present administration that continued the process of finalising the Bill for passage into law.

“I have already with the support of Mr. Frank Anthony from the opposition… we have worked out the scenario as to when that bill will be brought here. He had it a couple of years while he was Minister, and we are bringing that Juvenile Justice Bill early this year. It is at the Attorney General’s Chambers and we are going to get it done,’ Ramjattan assured.

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