Attorney General Anand Ramlogan says everyone in T&T wants to “act up” over moves to pass legislation to reduce the number of attacks on citizens by pitbulls and other dangerous dogs. He said he would listen but in the end would act in the best interest of the citizens.
The Government was committed to ensure good law was passed to ensure the safety of all citizens from attack by those dangerous dogs. He was presenting a Dog Control (Amendment) Bill for debate in there Senate yesterday at Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Port-of-Spain. Dealing with suggestions that the dangerous dogs should not be classified by breed but by weight, Ramlogan said if that was done people would say the Government was targeting fat or “rolly polly” dogs.
He added that if that was implemented people would breed their pitbulls and they would be mean and lean killing machines. Ramlogan said that criteria could not work. Several dog bite victims assembled outside the Parliament yesterday to demand that the bill be passed. The Government had issued full-page advertisement in the newspaper on Monday seeking to encourage citizens to show their support for the legislation.
Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi said some of the protestors had derogatory placards. After speaking with some of them, he said it was clear they did not know all the details about the legislation. Al-Rawi said the PNM had concerns about the legislation. He wanted to know why the original bill was approved last year with a specified three-fifths majority but the amendment was being debated requiring a simple majority.
“This bill requires a three-fifths majority,” he said. He said the matter was not well thought out and should be studied by a parliamentary committee. Al Rawi said he was concerned about the Local Government Ministry being ready with the related measures for the law to be effective. He said there were a number of facilities which were required to be implemented.