Preventative detention - it's not the law yet - but already it has excited a good deal of public disapprobation. And one man who has heard it is UDP Area Representative for Mesopotamia, Michael Finnegan. He today told us that he went to speak to the Prime Minister on Friday to express his concerns for the rumblings of public discontent:�

Hon. Michael Finnegan
"I had a conversation with the Prime Minister and separately with other ministers. But I must first say that there is collective responsibility and I am a part of the Cabinet but as normal as we do we discuss these matters among ourselves or with the Prime Minister and I let off frankly to him the views of people out here in the public and he welcome the discussion we had and I explain to him that what I am picking up here is that people are of the view that the law will be a law that will trample on rights of the small man. People are of the opinion that the law will enhance the position of the people who are better off and different discussions we had in connection with the law. We will see how we will take it from there."

Jules Vasquez
"So if you had to make a prediction as to the future of this "Preventative Detention" law, what would you expect to happen to it?"

Hon. Michael Finnegan
"One thing I can say is that the Prime Minister and Cabinet welcome all views and we will have to watch and see the decision that Cabinet make and whatever decision Cabinet make I will have to support because we are bound by collective responsibility as I have just said. But I want to assure that the matter is open to the ears of Cabinet colleagues and open to the ears of the Prime Minister and we will take it from there."

Jules Vasquez
"So it is not a done deal at this time?"

Hon. Michael Finnegan
"Of course it is not a done deal. This is a government that listens. We have a Prime Minister that is prepared to listen to people. To listen to other views and he will listen, he will discuss, he will weigh the pro and cons and then we will see what we will do."

This morning on KREM's WUB Michael Finnegan was far less circumspect in his remarks - he said, quote: "this thing is up in the air �and I will do my best to convince colleagues that this is not the way to go�I want to believe that (the) law will be put on hold and other things will be tried," close quote.

Channel 7