Senate Bill Information

The Evidence (Amendment) Bill, 2006

• View the Bill
  • amendments made in the Senate on 06 February 2007
• Consolidated Bill
  • amendments made in the House of Representatives on 15 February 2007
• View the Act

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Senate Bill No.: 16 of 2006
Long Title: An Act to amend the Evidence Act, Chap. 7:02
Date of Publication in Gazette:	As Bill:
	As Act:
Date introduced in the Senate: 20 December 2006
Speakers in the Senate:	06 February 2007 Sen. the Hon. John Jeremie, SC Sen. Wade Mark Sen. Dana Seetahal, SC Sen. Harry Persad Mungalsingh Sen. Prof. Ramesh Deosaran Sen. Raziah Ahmed Sen. Angela Cropper Sen. Dr. Tim Gopeesingh Sen. the Hon. Christine Kangaloo Sen. Dr. Jennifer Kernahan Sen. Mary King Sen. the Hon. John Jeremie, SC
Date passed by the Senate: 06 February 2007
First Reading in the House of Representatives: 09 February 2007
Speakers in the House of Representatives:	14 February 2007 Hon. Fitzgerald Hinds, MP [Laventille East/Morvant] Mr. Subhas Panday, MP [Princes Town] Hon. Diane Seukeran, MP [San Fernando] Ms. Gillian Lucky, MP [Pointe-a-Pierre] Hon. Dr. Keith Rowley, MP [Diego Martin West] Dr. Roodal Moonilal, MP [Oropouche] Hon. Stanford Callender, MP [Tobago West] Mr. Ganga Singh, MP [Caroni East] Mr. Winston Dookeran, MP [St. Augustine] Hon. Fitzgerald Hinds, MP
Date passed by the House of Representatives: 15 February 2007
House of Representatives amendments agreed to by the Senate:	06 March 2007 Sen. the Hon. John Jeremie, SC
Date of Assent: 09 March 2007
Act No.: 5 of 2007
Remarks: The purpose of the Bill is to amend Part II of the Evidence Act, Chap. 7:02, to allow the State to admit into evidence hearsay evidence in documentary form in any criminal proceedings, including a preliminary enquiry. First, where the only or best evidence of the criminal conduct of a person is in documentary form and the document was obtained by the Central Authority under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 1997 (Act No. 39 of 1997) it may be admitted into evidence. Secondly, the written statement of a person may be admitted into evidence if his absence is due to certain circumstances. The admissibility of such documentary evidence would be subject to the overriding common law discretion of the court to exclude it in the interest of justice. The Bill requires a simple majority.

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