PR – The Democratic People’s Movement (DPM), led by Peter David, is calling for the urgent establishment of a National Sex Offenders’ Registry in Grenada in the wake of two recent killings and rising concern about domestic and sexual violence.
The time has come to move from outrage to concrete action to tackle what is now “a national emergency’’, said David, a veteran MP and father of three girls.
He emphasized that protecting women and girls, and other vulnerable people, and safeguarding them against tragedy, requires a coherent national strategy, not piecemeal responses.
“We believe there should be a registry for sex offenders,” David stated on GBN’s To The Point, explaining that once an offender meets the legal threshold, “they should register. So, if John Brown comes in this community, the community should know, because John Brown is a sex offender.”
The DPM leader, who is a lawyer by profession, argued that the registry must be part of a broader legal and social framework. He recommended the establishing of dedicated courts, or specialized court sessions, to deal specifically with sex offences; proposed psychological assessment and treatment for offenders while in custody; and also continued monitoring of high-risk offenders after release, including electronic monitoring where necessary.
In addition, David also stressed the need for community-based mechanisms to track and supervise offenders in collaboration with law enforcement, so that communities are not left in the dark when known predators return to their neighbourhoods.
Victims’ needs, said the leader of the Movement, must be central to any reform.
“Our society needs to put resources into that,” he said, calling for counseling services, safe homes and shelters, and practical support for victims trying to escape abuse.
“How many young women come to me and say, ‘I can’t take the abuse; I need a place to stay to get out, but I can’t get out because I don’t have a place to go.’”
David also highlighted the role of families and communities in preventing violence, insisting that Grenada must invest in its people at the grassroots level.
“We need to put resources into the communities; have constant sessions, where the community comes together and talks about the young people (and) what they need,’’ he said.
“The DPM fully supports the longstanding public call for a Sex Offenders’ Registry. Domestic and sexual violence are now a national emergency. We must build a system – in law, in the courts, in our communities – that protects our people before tragedy strikes, not after.”
