Sex Offenders Registry Bill Gets Broad Support in the House

After months of discussion, the push to make Belize’s National Sex Offenders Registry public has now reached the floor of the National Assembly. The Criminal Code Amendment Bill was brought to the House on Friday for its second reading, and members generally supported the move. But Opposition Leader Tracy Panton says the conversation cannot stop at public access. She questioned whether government is also putting the right support structures in place for victims as the registry moves toward implementation.

 

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“This is a piece of legislation that the opposition can get behind. The query, member for Freetown is looking at the support mechanisms to have the bill operationalized. Things like, sufficient trained investigators, forensic capacity, adequate victim support services, councilors, shelters, DBA testing, specialized prosecutors, other forms of victim support. I go back to the member for Orange Walk East, that laws without having the level of support necessary for operationalizing and protecting the primary beneficiaries of this act is really a mere suggestion.”

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“She is absolutely right, the resources, support infrastructure is important to giving teeth, meaning to these bills. In know that there are a number of ministries that have been engaged in this work, in putting this bill together , a great number of stake holders and I think everybody has recognized that point and pledged their support to making sure we don’t only have the legislation in place but also to provide the supporting infrastructure.”

 

 

 

The proposed amendment has largely received support from members of the public.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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