Providenciales, TCI, January 16, 2017 – Minor offenses committed in the Turks and Caicos can legally be erased from a police record, to give small time offenders, a fresh start which could mean the difference between getting a job and being unemployed. During the official opening of the 2017 Legal Year, Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale praised legislative drafters at the Attorney General’s Chambers for the 74 pieces of legislation produced.
The Chief Justice in her presentation to the guests of the court and the members of the TCI bar council identified several ordinances which she believes will prove most impacting to life in the TCI. The Prevention of Terrorism, Financial intelligence Agency and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance 2014 were highlighted.
Hon Ramsey-Hale said about the Rehabilitation law that, “This is to ensure that people do not have lifelong blots on their records because of relatively minor offences in their past, which may impact negatively in such persons acquiring employment or other services. The intention of the Ordinance is to exclude any prejudice which may occur because of disclosures of person’s relatively minor past convictions or offences; and to aid the reintegration and resettlement of ex-offenders into employment by not requiring them or any other person to disclose or answer questions regarding their spent convictions.” Key to this happening for any ex offender is the time passed since the conviction.
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