(Trinidad Guardian) Pepper spray will be available ahead to women and girls within a regulated arrangement where a permit will be required .
Prime Minister Keith Rowley confirmed this in Parliament yesterday replying to Opposition questions.
He made it clear that the use of tasers hadn’t been approved by the National Security Council (NSC) or the police service – only pepper spray.
He said the Attorney General has been tasked with formulating regulations for the arrangement since Government intends to have pepper spray facility regulated in a format where permits will be required .
The Attorney General is expected to have the regulations before Cabinet in the “not too distant future” and once arrangements are in place one can expect to see trade in regulated pepper spray available in T&T . On how soon, he said a number of processes have to be completed.
He said the matter was being done a few weeks ago when Government said they’d look at it,.
“We acted with grave urgency and asked the National Security Policy Unit to look at it.”
When a report was subsequently done, he said the NSC approved the measure last Wednesday.
He said he expected the Attorney General’s work will take a couple weeks or so . Once Cabinet approves it , it will be available for movement to the market place.
On use of electronic bracelets to monitor offenders, Rowley said the National Security’s Unit for this is ready and is awaiting the judiciary to start work orders to use the bracelets.
As for time lines, he said Government has no control over the judiciary’s decision- making processes.
Rowley also said Government is pursuing getting COVID vaccines from China in addition to the 100,000 vaccines from the COVAX facility.
Talks with China began last October. He said he was confident, T&T would get access to vaccines from there.
He denied that Government had rejected vaccines from India. He said no approach was made and no rejection given.
Rowley also refused to confirm or deny that WASA might be privatised following scrutiny of a current review report on the utility. It’s being examined by a Cabinet sub-committee and will be given to another team for its”far reaching recommendations” to be implemented.
Cabinet will also examine Patriotic’s refinery bid next week. The “Buccoo Reef” ferry is also expected to leave Hobart in about 10 days to come to T&T after having the coolers on its four engines replaced.
