Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in Parliament [Source: Fijian Government]

The Correction Service Amendment Bill 2019 states that prisoners for whom non-parole period are fixed will have to serve the entire term of the non-parole period.

This comes after the Correction Service Amendment Bill 2019 was passed in parliament earlier this morning.

Sayed-Khaiyum says there’s a great need to fast track the Bill to prevent perpetrators from walking free.

While clarifying the Bill in Parliament, Sayed-Khaiyum says there’s a lot of misconception from the Opposition about the amendments that are made.

“Honorable Bulitavu I think in a way insidiously perhaps unknowingly tried to mislead Parliament by saying if you have a non-parole period, therefore, you cannot have rehabilitation which is absolute nonsense as the Minister for Women had said that even if a person has a non-parole period of nine years they can still be rehabilitated”

Minister for Women and Children Mereseini Vuniwaqa says the adjustments to the Bill will see perpetrators get the full sentence they deserve.

“We have the statistics in relation to sexual offenders against children, against women and this bill will ensure that these prisoners who do commit these offences do get a non-parole they must serve”

The Attorney General further explained that the amendment is necessary to give legislative effect to a Supreme Court ruling that changes the convention and the practice regarding non-parole prisoners.

He says instead of remissions in sentences being calculated from a reduced prison – due to non-parole provisions – the said remissions must, in fact, be calculated from the full sentence handed down by the court.