National

Senators Debate Protection Against Violence Bill

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Attorney General Ryan Pinder admitted to senators the Protection Against Violence bill is a shift supported by policy and expert analysis.

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Amid criticism that the bill presented is far from what was originally presented years ago, Attorney General Ryan Pinder admitted to senators the bill is a shift supported by policy and expert analysis.

The previous version of the bill was termed the Gender-based Violence bill.

Pinder says the 2016 version of that bill focused only on gender-based violence and has the potential to be confusing, adding that a broader approach to violence is more appropriate.

Pinder outlined a few gaps with the previous forms of the Gender-based Violence bill which resulted in the current bill.

Opposition Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis says government doesn’t understand the issue and stressed the need for consultation.

The bill also makes way for the formation of the protection against violence commission which operates at the direction of the minister which Barnett-Ellis criticized.

To those points the attorney general quickly bit back.