BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN order to prevent further anti-social and self-destructive behaviors by the children of our Federation which are caused by sexual abuse, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is seeking to introduce a Child Welfare Board.
Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, in his monthly press conference, said that there is a call for a more detailed planning, involvement and oversight if the nation’s children are to be properly protected.
He said that the Minister of Health, Social Services, Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs had proposed in cabinet the establishment of the Child Welfare Board which has been fully supported.
“The environment in which children are being reared is ever challenging. This calls for even more detailed planning involvement and oversight if the nation’s children are to be properly protected.
“The primarily role of this Board will be one of oversight and in order to provide better services to and protect the interest of the nation’s children, religious ministers, lawyers, teachers, social workers, health care providers and police officers will be among those who will be invited to serve on this important body that will help to protect the children,” he said.
Douglas said that there was once a Child Welfare Board but it had become inactive and that in recent times the Minister and Ministry with the support of Cabinet saw it fit to reactivate the Board.
He said just recently there was a debate of a bill addressing molestation of children and adults.
“But the Minister was making the point that there is need specifically for an improvement in penalties so that persons who would have sexually molested our children, apart from the adults, should have higher penalties to be meted out to them, for there is need to show special protection for our children.”
If there is abuse in the home where parents are abusing their child or children, the Prime Minister said that the appropriate legislation to properly deal with such a situation will be put in place.
“We understand that a lot of abuse does take place with our children, sexual and otherwise, and a lot takes place within the homes. We already have appropriate legislation and we have the juvenile act which to a large extent protects our children.
“We have been finding it necessary in recent times to revisit these laws to strengthen some of our ability as a state to go into the homes and remove children from those home environments where the abuse is actually taking place by visitors of the home or covered up by the family,” said the Prime Minister.
Child Abuse is detrimental to children and should never be tolerated or pardoned. The effects of child abuse can lead to academic difficulties, compulsive sexual behaviors, drug abuse and more.
The Government will look at whatever means they can to prevent such acts even revamping existing laws.
“We want to make sure that the Child Welfare Board will be able to assist the minister, the government, in looking at new ways and means by which existing laws can be improved. New legislation can be brought into being in our full attempt to further protect our children from abuse whether sexual, physical, mental whatever abuse, there is,” Douglas said.
He said there are also situations where parents ‘conspire’ with persons who abuse their children to come up with a ‘settlement’ instead of cases going to court.
“That kind of action on the part of parents on behalf of their children have to have a very firm, response from the laws of our country and here is where I believe the Welfare Board will come into being to help to guide us in the framing of new legislation to look after the concept of conspiracy that parents may have with others with the abuse of children.”
