Calls grow for public sex offender registry
by Tahna WestonTahna.weston@antiguaobserver.comConcerns have been raised that people convicted of sexual offences could secure jobs in sensitive settings because the country’s sex offender registry is not public.The matter was raised at the National Child Protection Town Hall, hosted by the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation.Family and Social Services Director Feona Charles-Richards said people who […]
Black News 
by Tahna Weston
Tahna.weston@antiguaobserver.com
Concerns have been raised that people convicted of sexual offences could secure jobs in sensitive settings because the country’s sex offender registry is not public.
The matter was raised at the National Child Protection Town Hall, hosted by the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation.
Family and Social Services Director Feona Charles-Richards said people who abuse children remain in the community, warning that an abuser could be someone as close as a partner.
She said there had been considerable debate over the sex offender registry not being made public and expressed hope that this would change.
“A perpetrator should not show up in a daycare centre working; or be a security guard at a school; or be a police officer. Let’s just be real. But we have had cases where police officers were the perpetrators too. That’s just the reality,” Charles-Richards said.
Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Rawdon Turner said Charles-Richards does not fully share his view on publicly identifying convicted offenders because victims must also be protected. He said there comes a point when protecting victims has to be weighed against the value of publicly exposing perpetrators.
“No pedophile, no child abuser in this country should be safe. That’s my opinion. You should not be safe. You should not be able to walk freely amongst us. And too many are walking amongst us.
“If I had my way I would have a big billboard that once they’re convicted their picture and their name would be up. I think there comes a point when we have to weigh our options. Yes, we have to protect our children. Yes, we have to protect the victims. But sometimes, we have to go that extra mile to expose the person, the people, the men, the women who are facilitating this type of abuse,” Turner said.
An audience member raised the issue again later from the floor. She told the panel that residents already know who the predators in their communities are and asked why the registry had still not been published.
