Cabinet has approved the appointment of a National Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Sub Committee to tackle an issue which is being described as a national problem.
The committee comprises Public and Private Sector personnel.
The need for Grenada to work towards eradicating the problem was highlighted , during the Government’s recent Post Cabinet Briefing by Social Development Minister Delma Thomas.
Minister Thomas says the Committee is working feverishly to implement its work plan and has made several recommendations on the way forward.
“The life of the Substantive Committee should be extended to March 31st 2018, to enable the full implementation of the work plan developed by the Sub Committee and to fully realize the terms of reference and to develop the Substantive Committee,” Minister Thomas explained.
Although the Committee’s work plan will not be implemented before 2018, Minister Thomas said the public will not be left uninformed and that month to month updates will be given.
“There needs to be consultation so at the end of September we will come back to the media to say this is where we’re at, this is what we have done,” said minister Thomas.
“You speak of motorcade on the 15th of this month; which is next week Friday, the Ministry will be having a march against sexual abuse. So it means that we are doing this, it will take us all that time to get everything in place but it doesn’t stop there”
Member of the Sub Committee Lady Anande Trotman Joseph, in defending the period to implementation, explained that due to the extent and sensitivity of the work ahead, it cannot be expedited.
“So yes there’s going to be some talk shopping going on but, on the other hand we had to allow time because we have said this is an historical problem,” said Lady Trotman Joseph.
“It is a social problem, it is a socio-economic problem, it is a children’s problem, it is an adult problem, a problem of Sociology, a problem of Pedophilia. There are so many aspects to this discussion”.
