Parliament passed the region's first law against domestic...

Parliament passed the region's first law against domestic violence, in 1991. A pioneering Community Police Unit created 3 years ago to specialize in domestic-abuse cases has won high praise from women's groups and victims of such violence. Private organizations have opened half a dozen shelters for abused women during the past decade. But activists assert that little has been done to institutionalize the progressive 1991 law and change traditional attitudes. "It's a cultural thing," said attorney Roberta Clarke, one of the Trinidadian attorneys representing Ramjattan in her appeal. "How do you charge the man who is the father of your children? If he goes to jail, he doesn't work. If he doesn't work, he can't support the children." Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj said he believes that attitudes of law enforcement toward domestic violence are changing because of gender-sensitivity classes being taken by police, prosecutors and judges. But he conceded that the drama of Ramjattan's case - and the dilemma it presents his Government - has brought increased attention to the death penalty issue in Trinidad.