New measures to address sexual offences – CPA’s Director

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eFb3AtM-PA” width=”100%” height=”315″]

─ will soon implement a Child Registry to target perpetrators of child sexual offences

─ details of the perpetrators of sexual abuse will be publicised

─ steps being put in place to have the registry available to the public before year-end

DPI, Guyana, Monday, January 14, 2019

The Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) will soon implement a Child Registry to target perpetrators of child sexual offences.

This follows the launch, last year, of the sexual offences court through a collaboration of the local judiciary and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund – UNICEF.

Director of CPA, Ann Greene, in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said that the Child Registry will introduce a broad Case Management System which will provide efficiency to tackle child sexual offences countrywide.

Greene said that the Case Management System is functional and noted that the agency is presently working to extensively train staff onboard to ensure they are fully equipped.

“The Childcare and Protection Agency works to become an agency that will seek every possibility to fight sexual offences, especially where the child is concerned. Our country has grown to ensure that measures are taken to provide justice in Court. It’s a must that we strengthen our Agency,” Greene noted.

The Child Abuse Registry will be helpful in providing information relating to a person’s biography. Persons will be able to access the requisite information about the offenders via the internet. Greene also pointed out that the details of the perpetrators of sexual abuse will be publicised.

Speaking on the Child Registry, Greene said, “it is still being tested and worked on, it’s a registry, a whole new case management system being introduced.”

She highlighted that the agency is at present working along with its legal counsel to put steps in place to have the registry available to the public before year end.

With assistance from UNICEF, staff will be trained to input data into the new case management system, she stressed.

The Social Protection Ministry first announced plans to establish this type of registry back in 2016.

Ayana George

Images: Giovanni Gajie