Social Services and Community Development Minister Melanie Griffin is expected to table the proposed Child Protection Bill, 2006 in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, October 25, culminating “almost 10 years of discussions.”
Minister Griffin said the proposed legislation is designed to ensure the safety and protection of children throughout the Common-wealth of The Bahamas and will among other measures, increase the existing penalties for persons found guilty of child abuse, while calling for the mandatory reporting of all forms of abuses against children.
“Right now the current law only allows for the mandatory reporting in the cases of sexual offences, but any form of abuse now, if you know about it and you do not report it, you are liable for prosecution,” Minister Griffin said.
“And that goes out to all of these people out there; all of these mothers who go out there and know their children, their teenagers, are being preyed upon by persons and for security reasons and financial reasons, are allowing it to happen. This proposed legislation will speak to them.
“No one is exempt,” Minister Griffin said.
Addressing a Candlelight Prayer Vigil hosted in Rawson Square on Sunday by the National Child Protection Council and the Crisis Centre, Minister Griffin warned that she will continue to be the driving voice for the children of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Griffin said she has never been, nor will she ever, be prepared to “sweep anything under the carpet” when it comes to child abuse in The Bahamas.
“Let it all hang out and let’s fight for the lives of our children,” Griffin said. Minister Griffin said she made a “conscious decision” after being appointed Minister of Social Services and Community development in 2002 that the “carpet will be lifted and the dirt swept up.”
She said that for too many years, child abuse was considered a topic that should not be openly addressed in The Bahamas, or was one of those things “that could not be touched.”
“But we decided that for the welfare of the children of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas that they ought to be touched; that they needed to be talked about and beyond that, let the chips fall where they may,” Griffin said.
“No matter if it is a Minister of the Gospel; no matter if it is a member of the Cabinet, a teacher or whomever, we are going to let the chips fall wherever they may,” Griffin added.
Minister Griffin said that while legislation in itself is not enough by itself, as parents, guardians, adult family members and friends should all share in ensuring the well-being of Bahamian children, it is her ministry’s belief that the legislation will serve as a deterrent.
She said that the legislation will put the necessary penalties in place so that persons will know that it is not “business as usual if things happen to our children.”
“They need to know that if they are found guilty of abusing our children, that there are penalties, that there are repercussions for their actions,” Griffin said. “We anticipate that this piece of legislation will strengthen what we do to protect and care for our children and develop our families.”
Minister Griffin urged parents and adult family members to play a greater role in ensuring the safety of “every child within its gate.” She said families need to make better choices in protecting their children.
“We have to stop leaving our children unprotected. We need to stop our children from playing in deserted areas. We should not let them so far out of our sight that we cannot see them when we go shopping.
“We should not be leaving three-year-olds and five-year-olds and six-year-olds in houses all by themselves and with no adults present. We should not be leaving our children with persons to watch them who are not capable of doing so.
“We have to take some steps ourselves as parents, as family members, to ensure that our children our protected at all times,” Minister Griffin added.
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