Antigua and Barbuda has marked a significant milestone in public safety with the official activation of its Sex Offenders Registry, implementing legislation passed in November 2022 to combat sexual re-offending.
Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin confirmed the registry has been operational for several months, noting its active use with recent offender registrations. “The last person discharged from His Majesty’s Prison, his name has been duly recorded and will be made known to those responsible,” Benjamin stated.
Crown Counsel Nneka Nicholas outlined the strict access protocols governing the registry. Access is limited to specific groups who must apply formally to the Police Commissioner, including “principals and managers of schools, child care facilities, and any other bodies involved with the care and education of children, managers and facilities responsible for the care of vulnerable persons.”
The registry’s primary function focuses on monitoring offenders’ proximity to sensitive locations like schools and care facilities, particularly for employment screening purposes. While applications are open to all, the Police Commissioner maintains discretionary authority over access requests, requiring applicants to provide clear justification for their inquiries.
To maintain data security and prevent misuse, the legislation includes robust penalties. Unauthorized access, false pretense applications, data misuse, or malicious sharing of registry information can result in fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to three years.
This initiative represents a crucial step in enhancing public safety measures across the twin-island nation, balancing the need for community protection with controlled information access.
Source: Observer NewsCo Ltd.
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Why so much protection for criminals? To continue the cover up? It should be of public access. Why? To protect more innocents, especially underaged and discourage this awful crime.
Why are you protecting the pedophiles? Women need to know who they are dating or have around their children!!!! Parents need to know if danger is next door!!! Pedophiles need no protection!!! Victims are traumatized for LIFE!!!!
While I commend the government for taking action, this feels like an incomplete solution There’s a bigger question here are we doing enough to prevent sexual offenses from happening in the first place
Dem need fa hang dem
This is a necessary step to help reduce the risk of reoffending
It should be made PUBLIC! They already did enough damage in PRIVATE! Y’all protecting them or the children? SHAME DEM CUZ DEM DONE DAMAGE PPL PICKNEY!! So anyone think of doing something like that ever again will have to think long and hard before doing so!! Not even jail woulda able fu save dem from me! Me will go thief just fu get inside de jail fu deal wid the scum if it was my child!I don’t play about mines!!!
While I commend the government for taking this step it still leaves much to be desired. It feels as though these offenders are still being protected. Say, for example, a sex offender moves in next door to me and my young children/ grandchildren. How will I as a private citizen know since I would be unable to ascertain that that person is indeed a sex offender? Parents/ grandparents should be able to have easy access to that registry. Potential employers should not be the only ones.
This feels like extra care is put in place to protect these offenders. Why? This info should be accessible to the public. If they need their names to be protected, then simply don’t offend! You’re giving protection and taking it back in the same breath. I rest my case.
Oh my God!!!🙏 really? So in the meantime they are free to enter relationship with unknowing women who have young children? Well well well who are you all protecting? This is pure rubbish.
The whole nation needs to know who they are. That’s the only way to properly protect the vulnerable children and young people.
Make it public, make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public make it public