A joint select committee (JSC) appointed to review reports from commissions of Parliament has run into a number of obstacles after just two meetings.
Only six of its 17 members made it to the first meeting on July 1. Among the absentees was chairman Lloyd B Smith, who also missed last Thursday’s second meeting.
Smith, last Tuesday, tabled a special report in the House of Representatives, seeking to extend the time allowed for the committee to review and report to parliament on its first case — the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) special report to the House regarding the decision taken by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which led to three members of the constabulary and two civilians being freed of the fatal shooting of Robert ‘Kentucky Kid’ Hill in December 2009.
INDECOM’s boss, Commissioner Terrence Williams, had indicated the commission’s concern about the manner in which the matter was brought to an abrupt end in court, essentially as a result of DPP Paula Llewellyn’s view that it was not possible for the police’s claim of self-defence to be rejected.
The issue developed into a public row between Williams and Llewellyn, and resulted in the DPP calling for tighter oversight of INDECOM.
A special committee which had been appointed under the previous government to review reports from Parliament’s commissions, but had been dissolved with the change of government in 2012, was reactivated by House Leader Phillip Paulwell to review the matter.
The committee chaired the deputy speaker, Smith, was given the job of reviewing and reporting on the matter within a month from February but failed to meet until July 1 due to parliament’s busy schedule.
But after the poor attendance at the first meeting, and the obvious indecision on the issue, it became obvious it needed more time to do the job. This led to the special report to extend its time moved by Smith and approved by the House on Tuesday.
But at Thursday’s meeting it became clear that there was still some confusion bedevilling the committee in doing the job.
In the midst of the confusion, Opposition member, Senator Robert Montague, suggested that the committee should look at the recommendations made in its report by INDECOM and respond to them.
“I am not even sure whether we should be examining these issues. These are technical, legal issues that even legal minds differ on,” suggested Opposition MP, Delroy Chuck, who was the only lawyer present at the time.
One member, government senator Navel Clarke actually concluded that the DPP was right, even before the review began.
Government senator Wensworth Skeffery suggested that the committee invite INDECOM, the DPP and the Attorney General’s Department to provide clarifications. There was general agreement on that point, but concern about the time available to do that.
Eventually it was resolved by the request for Parliament’s Standing Orders committees to extend the time beyond the summer session to resolve that.
Acting chairman Mikael Phillips then adjourned the meeting until today, when the representatives of INDECOM, the DPP and the Attorney General’s Department are likely to be questioned for reasons of clarification.
They know that they killed the man in cold blood…dis ting going to continue hitch until u hear nothing more bout it again..from top to bottom have regard fi human life..dem terrorize and finally kill the man just becaz him stan up fi him right…donkey seh dis wull nuh lebble
We want justice, police too damn wicked after dem nuh Bigga than the law
This is ridiculous from the time poor Kentucky Kid was murdered till now. By the time they get around to it the police who committed this felony will have left the Island if they have not already done so. So there shall be no justice for this man and his family. Jamaica shame on you.