BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (MARCH 10TH 2004) – Legislation providing for a specialised statutory body to act as a vehicle for promoting the accepted international norms and standards in crime prevention and criminal justice in order to combat criminal activity in St. Kitts and Nevis will be debated in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas will pilot the second and third readings of the National Crime Commission Bill which had its first reading in the law making body last October.
The Bill provides for the Commission to advise the Government on the prevalence of criminal activity as it relates to drugs and narcotics, fraud, money laundering, organised crime and other serious offences.
It will also have the responsibility to formulate policies and develop programmes intended to combat the prevalence of crime and recommend those policies and programmes to the Minister of National Security; promote the conduct of research to determine the prevalence of crime or categories of crimes and root causes and suggest preventive measures and maintain a database of information on crime in the Federation.
The National Crime Commission will also be responsible for sensitising the public on the dangers of a high prevalence of crime and promote co-operation and trust between the community and law enforcement agencies in order to better detect and prevent criminal activities and liaise with and co-operate with other Crime Commissions in the Region and in the International Community.
The proposed legislation also provides for the setting of a Secretariat for the National Crime Commission, Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions.
The National Assembly is also expected to approve the Stamps (Amendment) Bill and the Companies (Amendment) Bill.
