Marlene Malahoo Forte, Chairperson of the Joint Select Committee on the Bail Act
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Marlene Malahoo Forte
Members of the legal fraternity and human rights groups are being invited to provide input on the new Bail Act.
At the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on the Bail Act Thursday morning, it was decided that specific groups would be asked to make submissions to the committee regarding proposed changes to the Act.
Committee chairperson Marlene Malahoo Forte said the Jamaican Bar Association, regional bars, the Advocates Association, rights groups, Norman Manley Law School, as well as the faculties of law at the University of the West Indies and University of Technology would be among those invited to participate.
The National Secondary Students' Council and the Guild of Students will also have the opportunity to take part.
Mrs. Malahoo Forte said, in the interest of time, not all groups will be required to make in-person presentations to the committee.
However, she said all submissions received will be "duly considered".
The bill is proposing, among other things, the permission of bail at three stages: pre-charge, post-charge and post-conviction in defined cases. It also speaks to circumstances in which bail may be denied, including for a charge of murder where self-defence is not a factor or for a charge of capital murder.
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