Senator Courtenay Explains Logic Behind Special Prosecutions Bill

Eamon Courtenay

And because it did not receive the support of the majority in the upper house, Senator Courtenay informed the Senate that the bill would be sent back to the House for revision. But he took the time to explain that currently, the Law Revision Act only allows for a revision of the law to occur in relation to all the laws – that comprise over three hundred chapters and are revised as a whole every several years. 

Eamon Courtenay, Lead Government Senator

“The government set has listened to the criticisms of the special prosecutor bill, and we intend to leave it in committee for the criticisms we brought to the attention of the cabinet for further review and propose amendments to the bill. It does not enjoy the confidence of the majority of the Senate today. The Senate will note that we have made a significant number of amendments to the legislation as a result of the financial action task force recommendations. For example, the Money Laundering Bill has over a hundred amendments. What this law will allow is for the A.G to say to the lower vigilant commissioner, revise just these laws, these six or these seven. So all of this will be put into one piece of legislation and published with a force of law rather than having to wait every 20 years when all the laws are being revised. So it is an advance in making sure that the laws are available in a concise, open and transparent way for all of us on a regular basis. There is nothing here that precludes anybody, any interested party, any non-governmental organization, union chamber, opposition, any individual from making a recommendation that a certain section of the law or area of the law or a particular bill needs to be revised and the Attorney General will do the revision. Bear mind, there is a cost. Law revision experts are extremely expensive, so someone has to make a decision, and it’s the attorney General, obviously based on the budget.”