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On the persecution of the poor & homeless during COVID 19

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Sen. Jobeth Coleby-Davis
Opposition Spokesperson on Legal Affairs and Shadow Attorney General 

I am here with colleagues and friends of justice to present a simple case to the court of public opinion. Each day we find a litany of stories about people, mainly people from working class social and economic  backgrounds; senior citizens and young people  who seem to be the target  of arrests and fines which in our party’s view causes us concern.

This seems to us unfair in many respects. I start with the story of the homeless men in Grand Bahama who were charged and convicted of violating the curfew laws.

It has gone downhill from there. In both the House  and the Senate  the PLP has urged the government  to speak with the proper judicial authorities about the policy behind these applications  of the law. The Attorney  General  promised that he would do so.

Surely it is unjust and oppressive to fine people hundreds of dollars where they are unemployed and have no visible means of support or the ability to pay. There are other  instruments or ways of dealing with this that are just and fair.

That is our simple point this morning. 

There must be justice and not injustice in the administration  of the law.

Thank you. 

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