Mayne bashes PNP for NIDs court challenge

Romario Scott, Gleaner Writer

Member of Parliament for South West St Ann Zavia Mayne has hit out at the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) for its court challenge of the controversial National Identification and Registration Act, which will establish the National Identification System (NIDs).

Speaking at a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rally in Northern Clarendon on Sunday, Mayne, who is also an attorney-at-law, questioned the PNP's stance.

The party is contending that aspects of the law breach the constitutional rights of Jamaicans.

The matter was heard in court last week with the three-member panel of judges reserving judgement.

Mayne argued that law-abiding citizens had nothing to fear about NIDs and will help to fight crime.

“As a country, we know that we have certain challenges especially in respect of tracking and capturing criminals. When you check a man him go by five names. One man have six identification and him go by six different names. 

“So NIDs is just a national identification system with a specialised feature fi cut out some of the ginalship and the bandooloo. And if you don’t have an intention to commit crime you have absolutely nothing to fear where NIDS is concerned,” the government MP said. 

In his lashing of the PNP, he claimed that the opposition is struggling for relevance while his party was busy finding solutions for the country’s problems.

“Why is it that everything that this government does in an effort to reduce crime the PNP have a problem? The desperation is becoming suspicious and more and more you getting the feeling that they believe seh that if crime is high it will bring them back to power,” Mayne said.

Mayne told labourites that the Andrew Holness-led administration will not be distracted by the opposition.

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