RM cites urgent need for children's registry
November 29, 2006
RESIDENT Magistrate for the Corporate Area Criminal Court and Chairman of the Eastern Circuit of Children's Court Paula Blake-Powell has urged the fast tracking of the children's registry to receive reports on children in need of care and protection and child abuse.
Blake-Powell said the absence of the registry is impeding the effectiveness of the Child Care and Protection Act.
"We need the registry up and running as soon as possible.
We can't prosecute without the registry - that is what the Act provides for. The fact is that if you don't have the registry to capture the report in the way specified by the Act, you cannot turn around and prosecute those persons who have not reported," Blake-Powell explained.
She was speaking recently at a public forum on the Law, Child Abuse and Responsible Parenting held at the Grace Missionary Church in Kingston.
Under section six of the Act, an offence is created if an individual fails to report, to the children's registry, that a child is in need of care and protection, or that an offence has occurred. The Act therefore requires that the person with information make the report to the registry.
In the meantime, however, she said that while persons who fail to report cases of abuse or neglect were at present not within reach of the law, individuals who are guilty of these offences are being prosecuted.
"We are prosecuting those caught in committing the offences; it's just the failure to report - that is the part we cannot touch until the registry is up and running," she said, adding that "in the interim charges can be made for aiding and abetting the offence."
According to the resident magistrate, the present problem was being experienced because of the piecemeal approach taken in the implementation of the statute. She pointed out that the Act came into being ahead of certain necessary support systems....
Author: Alicia Dunkley
Source: Jamaica Observer
