Carrying a machete or blade will soon be an offence if you don't have a good excuse under a new bill tabled by Government in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Offenders will face a fine of up to $5,000 and two years in prison.

It covers machetes, meat cleavers, fish knives, pen knives over three inches and similar items.

Reasonable excuses will include if the item is for use at work, at an organised sporting event, for a religious reason or as a part of a national costume.

Additionally, carrying such bladed weapons on school premises will warrant a maximum fine of $10,000 and five years in prison under the Criminal Code Amendment (Number Two) Act 2005.

Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton said: "Our community has often heard of gang-related fights at sport events or concerts where weapons have been taken to the event, often concealed in trousers or in vehicles.

"The Bill tabled today will empower the Police to engage in preventative actions.

"The Police, acting on intelligence that there will be violence with weapons, will be able to declare that in a certain area, people and vehicles will be stopped and searched so that such weapons may be seized and such offenders arrested.

"This will allow the law abiding members of the community to attend and enjoy the event whilst those who intend on disrupting the event will be prohibited from causing violence and injuring or killing people.

"This amendment will come into operation as soon as practicable and before the Cup Match holidays."

Asked how the new bill would differ from laws regarding offensive weapons Attorney General Larry Mussenden said under that law any item could be regarded as offensive when used in a threatening manner.

However the new law would make carrying of certain items an offence even if they weren't being used in a threatening manner.

Last December Government increased the sentencing powers for Magistrates and Judges in the Criminal Code Act that covers offences of weapons and violence.

"The community deplores such offences and now the Courts must use the full brunt of the law to deal with such offenders," said Mr. Horton.

"Last week we tabled PACE and the bail bill. This week we have tabled more bills to modernise our criminal justice system.

In the coming weeks more bills will be tabled to increase the sentencing powers in the Misuse of Drugs Act for maximum fines of $500,000 in the Magistrates Court and ten years imprisonment and maximum fines of $1 million in the Supreme Court with extensive consecutive prison sentences for default of payment of the fines.

And Government will provide video links between the prisons and the Courts for all preliminary matters so that we do not have road blocks, traffic jams and armed police every time a high profile case comes to Court.