Legislating ‘patriotism’ a danger to democracy, citizens

SO, Cabinet has decided to stubbornly approve the enactment of the controversial “Patriot Act”.

And it has even had the audacity to sneak it in through the back door, under the guise of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill of 2022.

As a way of averting scrutiny and the expected resistance to this sinister piece of legislation — provisions that have already raised the ire of the opposition and civil society, regarded as a weapon in silencing criticism of the political elite, have been deviously mixed up with more acceptable laws as a mandatory sentence for rape and murder cases, and expansion of the definition of “dangerous drugs”, and amending elements of what forms “abuse of office”.

This story is for NewsDay subscribers.