Human rights violation matters 'will affect our ability to be paid'- Tamia N. Richards
This was a stern warning issued by Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) following allegations by Puerto Rican businessman Alexis Perez that he had not taken a shower, brushed his teeth or spoken to his family in six days while in custody at the Road Town Police Station recently.
Addressing the court on March 11, 2020, the Magistrate Richards said “I am pretty sure that everyone looks forward to the 15th and the 30th and the 31st. The police department does not independently make money; what they spend is what we all collectively put towards the government’s coffers. And, money that has to be paid to the defendants in custody, one day on the 15th and the 30th or 31st we will all be surprised when we go to that ATM, and there is nothing there.”
Do better!
The Senior Magistrate urged the local police force to do better when executing their duties.
“Those who know better, do better, who has ears to hear, let them hear. We should all take an interest in ensuring that persons human rights are not breached especially the ones that are from overseas. It is bad enough when it is a local; it is worse when it is a foreigner because it has international connotations. There can be much international embarrassment and pressure brought on this little tiny dot that is not visible on certain maps,” she added somberly.
Perez was caught with $39,800 in undeclared cash at the T. B. Lettsome International Airport on March 6, 2020.
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15 Responses to “Human rights violation matters 'will affect our ability to be paid'- Tamia N. Richards”
[The Virgin Islands Constitution Order,2007]
In support of the senior magistrate, let us all read the "EXPLANATORY NOTES" written in the new Constitution Order 2007,advising and informing all citizens and rsidents of its effect as of june 15th,2007.
And I quote, inter alia:....
["This Order establishes a NEW CONSTITUTION for the Virgin Islands, to REPLACE the Constitution of 1976.
The new Constitution includes, for THE FIRST TIME, a chapter setting out the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the individual and provisions for their enforcement...."]
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: On the 13th day of June, 2007,at the court, at buckingham palace and in the presence of the queen's most excellent Majesty in council...Her majesty, gave us fundamental human rights and freedoms, in the BVI in a free and democratic society: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS and FREEDOMS,for ALL persons in the BVI for even extended to BVIslanders outside the BVUI, but 13 years later, in 2020 ALL persons in authority in the BVI continue to show and display, a total and blatant disregard for the Constitution, when it refers to the rights and entitlement of citizens and residents which is the supreme law of the land..
His excellency,the governor is the custodian of the Constitution!
When you have police officers who do not read the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons in the bvi and would just arrest and detain at will without probable cause or reasonable suspicion,because they have statutory authority to do so, with no regard for the dignity of the human person, its a shame...
Senior officers of the RVIPF, tighten your balls, and intervene.No police officer in the BVI, is a supercop or robbocop.
Police officers took an oath to serve and protect.
Do not allow reckless Constables and Sergeants to run the police force and to do whatever they want to suspects of crime or offences, any way any how :Follow the dam law and the Constitution,and respect the fundamental human rights of all persons in police custody according to the Constitution.
Even for minor traffic offences, you have some police officers arresting and detaining persons for many hours?You call that effective policing in 2020?Absolute nonsense!!
God save the Queen,God save the people of the BVI and god save the RVIPF.
Thank you senior magistrate Tamia Richards. Well trained and well learnt.
One love..
I comment on the written law and on the written-Constitution.
So let us read fundamental rights # 17 or section 17 of the BVI Constitution..
"PROTECTION OF RIGHT OF PRISONERS TO HUMANE TREATMENT"
[" (1) ALL PERSONS deprived of their liberty (in this section referred to as "prisoners" have the right to be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person".
The Senior Magistrate is educating the police administration, to take charge of your police force and do not accept or condone the abuse of persons in custody because some supercop or robbocop do not know the law and the fundamental rights of persons in police custody.
This is 2020 policing in the 21st Century.
The supreme law of the land is crystal clear.
Dont chastise the Senior Magistrate for outlining the law and the Constitution to the police. She is 150% CORRECT to say to the police ""Go, and read the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons in police custody""
When it comes to BVI laws and BVI Constitution,I am a champion in the boxing ring.That is why I am siding with the sr, magistrate.
If you are really a police in the BVI, I would fire your a$$$ and take the queen's uniform from you..
why? Because you are dangerous for justice, and bad for society and all of you are misinterpreting the message from a magistrate who was a former crown prosecutor in the office of the DPP and who was trained in prosecutorial ethics..
Police officers are also trained in law enforcement ethics but some of you use the statutory authority imposed upon you by your oath office, and used it to intimidate the citizens with draconian-supercop-robbocop style of policing.
Before june 2007,the BVI Constitution,was like a rubber stamp only, to swear-in public officers into office..
on 15th June 2007 [the appointed day] took effect and ALL persons now have fundamental rights.
If in 2020,you are saying that the police do not provide soap to bath, toothpaste and toothbrush to brush your teeth, etc..for human comfort and for human dignity for prisoners in police custody,then,you need to do a course in fundamental rights and freedoms of person arrested and detained by the police: Otherwise,you will cause the government to pay MILLIONS for human rights contraventions. The Magistrate is sending a signal to the police administration. [RED 1] answer to the magistrate's advice.
Police officers are of the view,that when you are in custody,your family should be the one to provide these body-cleaning-items for the prisoner in YOUR custody?
Comrades:
People in authority in the BVI have no regard for what is written in the BVI Constitution.
The only chapters that make sense to them,is the chapters which promote them and give them authority so that they can use that authority to abuse people,control the media and control freedom of speech of people they do not like or just who they want to frustrate.
A total abuse of authority.
One love..