Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has called for the removal of harmful stereotypes embedded within legislation, noting that certain clauses, such as Clause 10, reinforced prejudices and outdated biases.
During the debate on the Sustainable Fisheries Management Bill, 2024 in the House of Assembly on Friday, he described the legislation as “punitive, laden with value judgments and inconsistent with modern law”. He noted that such clauses undermined efforts to modernise legislation and called for an update to reflect contemporary values.
He argued that these biases, often unconscious, stemmed from historical stereotyping of environments and the people within them. He felt these stereotypes could lead to discriminatory laws that unfairly label groups, such as fisherfolk, as prone to disorderly conduct.
However, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams said the legislation was not designed to single out any group but to protect individuals and regulate conduct within market spaces.
“The Honourable Member by his words, appears to be creating a mischief where none exists. This law is not specific in its application to a person. It is meant to govern behaviour in a place. The place for the purpose of this legislation just happens to be markets, but it is not creating mischief or prejudicing any particular class of persons or perpetuating a stereotype.”
The exchange became tense when Abrahams accused
Thorne of misrepresenting the Government’s stance.
“At no point did he propose this as his opinion. He said the Government is stigmatising these people. The Government insists on putting down this class . . . . That is not being tendered as a statement of opinion, that is being tendered as a fact,” he charged. “This (legislation) will end up protecting some of the same people he appears to be agitating on behalf of. The Honourable Member is stating things as a fact and when challenged, coming back saying that you can’t fault an opinion.”
Clause 10 of the legislation states that a person who in a public market behaves in a disorderly manner is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1 000 or to imprisonment for one month.
If passed, this bill would establish the enabling conditions for the sustainable utilisation of fisheries, aquaculture and mariculture resources, strategic development of the fisheries sector and the responsible management of fisheries activities.
(JC)
