THE modernisation of Guyana’s juvenile justice system could not be far away as a Juvenile Justice Bill is expected to get Cabinet’s blessing this week, according to Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, the minister said, “I indicated to [the] attorney-general that I wanted [the juvenile justice bill] as early as possible.”

This bill, he explained, has been completed, but was undergoing “fine-tuning” for the past few weeks by parliamentary draftspersons before it is tabled in the House. Fine-tuning included perusing and modifying (if necessary) the “wording” of the bill.

Ramjattan was supposed to receive the bill last Friday from Chief Parliamentary Counsel Charles Fung-A-Fat.

Since he did not receive it then, he is expecting it this week, when he will take it to Cabinet for perusal and blessing before laying it in Parliament.

As soon as Cabinet grants its approval for this critical piece of legislation, its passage in Parliament should be smooth sailing.

Ramjattan explained that he worked closely with Opposition member and former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony, since Dr Anthony had spearheaded work on the bill during the 10th Parliament of Guyana.

Due to Dr Anthony’s involvement, the minister assured, “They [the Opposition] like the modernisation of the bill,” and added, “Almost all the minor fine-tuning was agreed to… and a majority of the bill was agreed to.”

Speaking at the University of Guyana (UG)’s eighth Turkeyen and Tain talks on the topic of “Youth, Crime and Violence” in July last year, Ramjattan had noted that the bill seeks to abolish truancy and wandering, among other crimes deemed “economic.”

According to the 2016 United Nation (UN)’s Situation Analysis for Guyana, wandering accounted for 64 per cent of the main alleged crimes committed by girls during the years 2011-2014. It was 17 per cent for boys during the same period. The bill will seek to decriminalise this.

Raising the age of criminal responsibility is another component of the bill that adds to its modernity. Currently, a child as young as age 10 could be charged and placed before the court.

In addition to the content of this bill, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had indicated that it would assist in conducting a cost analysis for the bill.

Ramjattan noted that he has not received this as yet, but is also expecting it soon, as it was promised for “early 2018”.

As reported in another local news agency, the minister said he is cognisant that there will be huge expenditures associated with the passage of the bill.