Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--Change the laws to impose harsher punishment for paedophiles and institute a sex offenders registry were among the calls the group Patrol to Eradicate Paedophilia (PEP) made to the Petitions Committee of Parliament on Thursday.
PEP's request for laws to be changed now heads to the Permanent Committee for Justice. Committee Chairman Member of Parliament (MP) Johan Leonard said he would call the Justice Minister to the committee after Parliament's July recess.
PEP representative Peggy Ann Dros-Richardson urged MPs to have Government boost its assistance to the Mental Health Foundation, to help the foundation increase awareness about paedophilia and have the required treatment for the mental disorder. She encouraged MPs to review the laws dealing with sex offenders.
Mhakeda Shillingford, the push behind PEP, shared her experience with a bus driver who had badgered her for personal information. When she was not compliant the bus driver attempted to get physical with her, the teenager said. She was the only person on the bus at the time and felt very afraid and offended, even more so when the police told her the man had not done anything against the law.
The overall experience starting in the bus and at the police station led her to initiate PEP, which was launched via a petition. Some 500 signatures have been collected via the traditional paper-and-pen method and more are being collected via a mirroring online petition.
Shillingford called for MPs to instruct Transport Minister Claret Connor to mandate a ban on tint on bus windows and for all buses to have on interior lights at night.
She said her experience and those of others she had met since she started this drive several months ago highlighted the need for a sex offenders register with DNA profiles. The register would allow parents and guardians to know whether their children can come into contact with someone who might hurt them.
PEP also deems Internet monitoring necessary. The representatives argued that oftentimes the evidence of sexual offences is found online.
The need for statistics on sexual offences and offenders, increased awareness and tackling laws to regulate cyberspace activities was highlighted by MPs in the session.
MPs commended PEP, in particular Shillingford, for sharing her experience and using it to effect change in the community.
The Petitions Committee was chaired by independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo. Weighing in on the topic were MPs Tamara Leonard and Johan Leonard (United People's Party), Cornelius de Weever (independent), George Pantophlet (National Alliance) and Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party).
