MAY PEN, Clarendon — Tempers flared within the Clarendon Municipal Corporation last Thursday as councillors weighed in on controversial proposed amendments to the Bail Act.

As expected, the heated exchange reflected the stance taken on the issue by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which is pushing the changes and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) which is against them.

On Thursday, Councillor Collin Henry (JLP, Thompson Town Division) made it clear that he intended to throw his full support behind the amendments. A cryptic comment, by Minister of Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte, has widely been interpreted to mean the State is contemplating legislative changes to deny bail to individuals on gun and murder charges. Henry is of the view that the proposed changes will give the law more teeth, which is needed.

“…We as citizens and the political directorate should support it because it is needed in this time. We have seen it proven several times that persons who are on bail continue to wreak havoc on the communities,” he said during the corporation’s regular monthly meeting.

His comment elicited strong objections from other councillors in the room, but he was undaunted.

“I am in support of that Bill that will be brought forward in the next couple of weeks,” Henry insisted.

Even as Chairman Winston Maragh sought to quell tempers, Councillor Delroy Dawson (PNP, Aenon Town Division) rose to speak on a point of order.

“Mr Chairman, the member cannot be inside the council chamber debating on a matter that has not been tabled. He cannot do that, you need to guide the member,” he argued.

Undeterred, Henry reiterated that he was sticking to his decision and will continue to support the police on the job they have been doing across Jamaica. He insisted that the laws need to be strengthened.

However, Councillor Uphell Purcell (PNP, York Town Division) cautioned Henry, making the point that the actions of policymakers have wide-ranging implications.

“I would not like to see us as lawmakers put laws in place that will affect our children’s children. Crime affects all of us, even the criminals because sometimes they don’t even know how much it affects their own families. We want to see enforcement and the laws put in place to deal with them but what we don’t want is to see the constitutional rights of us as citizens be trampled upon. So I am imploring us to wait and look at the Bill and see where adjustments can be made, if necessary,” he urged.