Garth McBean appointed to chair three-member emergency powers review tribunal

A three-member panel, chaired by Attorney-at-law Garth McBean, has been appointed for the Emergency Powers Review Tribunal for the State of Public Emergency in the St Catherine North Police Division.

The other members are attorney-at-law Dorothy Lightbourne and Minister of Religion Reverend Nigel Pusey.

Their appointment took effect on March 18, 2018, but the disclosure was made for the first time yesterday in a notice by the Ministry of National in the Sunday Gleaner.

“The members of the Tribunal and officials from the Ministry of National Security have been working assiduously to implement the necessary administrative infrastructure and mechanisms in order to conduct hearings by the Tribunal,” the notice read, noting that the tribunal was established on March 18, 2018.

“Details of the Tribunal's Secretariat and the venue where hearings are to be held will be published as soon as they are finialized,” the notice, dated May 6, 2018, further said.

The State of Public Emergency for the St Catherine North Police Division was declared by Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Sunday, March 18 in response to escalating murders in the division.

What matters will the tribunal hear?

*An order made by the “Competent Authority” restricting a person's access to any area.

*An order made by the Minister of National Security confining any person to his place or residence or a place specified by the Minister where the person has no fixed place of abode.

*Any detention order made by the Minister of National Security.

*The Tribunal will only schedule a hearing for matters which fit the criteria after a formal objection is filed.

Filing an objection

*Objections should be in writing and signed by the objector or his or her attorney. All objections must contain the full name of the person, his or her address, date and place of detention and the contact information or that of his or her attorney.

*Objections should be submitted to the Chairman of the Tribunal via email to mnsceprtribunal@gmail.com.

*The Tribunal will schedule a hearing as soon as possible after receiving the objection.

*Procedural rules for hearings can be found on the website of the Ministry of National Security.

*The Chairman shall report to the Minister of National Security its findings or ruling on each objection and may give direction to the Minister.

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