Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “Administrative Centre” or “Centre” means the department or Ministry charged with responsibility for the development, management and maintenance of the Justice Protection “Agreement” means the Agreement Establishing the Regional Justice Protection Programme, signed at Port-of-Spain on July 7, 1999; the text of which is set out in the Third Schedule to this Act; “approved authority” or “authority” means, (a) the Attorney General; (b) the Solicitor General; (c) the Director of Public Prosecutions; (d) the Commissioner of Police; 6 (e) any other person or body that the Minister may, from time to time, designate as an “associate” means a person, including a family member of that person who, by virtue of his relationship or association with a participant or prospective participant, may be considered for protection or assistance or both, under the Justice Protection “Contracting Party” means a Party to the Agreement; “Investigative Agency” means the Agency charged with the functions set out in section 9 of this Act; “Justice Protection Programme” or “Programme” means the Justice Protection Programme established under section 4 of this Act; “Minister” means the Attorney General; “participants” means witnesses, jurors, judicial officers, legal officers, law enforcement personnel, associates of such persons and any other persons to whom protection or assistance or both is given under the Justice Protection Programme; “Protective Agency” means the Agency charged with the functions set out in section 11 of this Act; “risk assessment” means an evaluation of the risk or danger which a participant is likely to pose for the receiving community, having regard to the matters specified in paragraphs (a), (d) and (e) of the definition of “threat assessment” and any other factors considered relevant in a particular case; “threat assessment” means an evaluation of the danger to a prospective participant based on, but not limited to information on, 7 (a) persons who are the subject of judicial or administrative proceedings concerning the case, in relation to which the prospective participant has given evidence or is required to give evidence; (b) any criminal organization interested in the relevant proceedings; (c) the nature of the threat to the prospective (d) the names and other identifying data of all persons who are likely to pose a danger to the (e) appropriate, the participant’s association with persons referred to in paragraph (a) or his involvement in the illegal activity giving rise to the proceedings referred to in that paragraph; (f) the immediacy of the threat; “witness” means a person who has given, is obliged to give or has agreed to give, a statement or evidence or both, (a) in relation to a crime that has been committed or in respect of which there are reasonable grounds to believe has been committed or will be committed; (b) to an approved authority in relation to a crime that has been committed or in respect of which there are reasonable grounds to believe has been committed or will be committed; (c) in a criminal trial; 8 (d) in any civil proceedings. Understanding and Register of Participants