AG agrees with public call for sex offenders’ registry

Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin is on the same page with the public, concerning the implementation of a sex offenders’ registry in light of the numerous cases of sexual abuse and incest affecting young people.
The issue has come up for debate in recent days after a father was ordered jailed for 18 years for having sex with his daughter between the period when she was nine and 14 years. However, his name could not be published because the Sexual Offences Act states that no information that could identify the victim should be published.
Pundits have argued that if there’s a sexual offences registry, at least the public would know who the offender is, even if the facts of his crime and victim are not known.
“I am in very strong favour of getting a registry established where sex offenders would be registered and not only that but to make the persons in the communities with the alleged [offenders] know there are sex offenders in the community,” Benjamin said.
Noting that the nation appears to be split on the setting up of a sex offenders’ registry, the attorney general said, “some people want the rights of the offenders to be infringed, others want the interest of communities to be protected”.
He, however, stated that the government will have further discussion on the matter and will make a decision in the interest of the country as a whole. The matter is expected to be discussed when Cabinet meets tomorrow.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)