The Jamaican government is moving to review legislation governing access to the country’s sex offenders registry, following mounting public pressure and national outrage over a recent surge in brutal attacks on women and children.
Gender Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange made the announcement Monday as she joined scores of nurses, medical professionals, university students, and advocacy groups protesting violence against women and girls in the Corporate Area.
“We’re going to look into the act that governs the sex offenders registry,” Grange told reporters. “I remember when we were debating the legislation in Parliament, there were those advocates who said we must protect the rights of the offenders, although they are offenders, and therefore the registry wasn’t made public. But the information can be accessed. But the ordinary woman, the little girl, and their families do not understand the bureaucracy. They don’t understand how to access this information. And so we have to make the information more available and more accessible.”
The protest began at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), where a nurse—recently the victim of a violent road rage attack—works. Demonstrators then marched to East Street, near Heroes Circle, calling for justice and stronger protections for women and children.
Grange was joined by several high-ranking officials, including Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, Government Senator Dr. Saphire Longmore, and Opposition spokesperson on health Dr. Alfred Dawes.
Dr. Tufton emphasized the need for greater respect and safety for front-line workers. “What that nurse suffered last week should not have occurred,” he said. “It is really an attack on society when our civil servants are assaulted. Their work saves lives—we must send a strong message that they are not alone and the law will take its course.”
Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang also weighed in, condemning what he described as “deeply troubling” crimes that have “shaken the moral conscience of society.” In a statement Monday, Dr. Chang referenced a string of horrifying incidents, including:
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The May 7 sexual assault of two young girls, aged nine and ten, in Old Harbour, St. Catherine.
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The May 9 killing of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon, who was found strangled in Spanish Town.
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The May 13 assault on a nurse in Mount Friendship, St. Andrew.
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The May 17 discovery of skeletal remains in Portmore, believed to be those of missing UTECH student Anisa Dilworth.
“These heinous incidents have caused national outrage, inflicted deep pain on families and communities, and are a stain on our national character,” said Dr. Chang.
Calls for legislative reform are also growing louder within the diaspora. The Florida-based Female Development World Organization (FDWO) demanded immediate action from Jamaican lawmakers. The group proposed a six-point plan that includes making the sex offenders registry mandatory and accessible to the public.
Their call follows revelations that Giovanni Ellis, the now deceased suspect in Kelsey Ferrigon’s murder, was a convicted sex offender out on bail for a previous rape charge.
FDWO, led by founder and CEO Dr. Lavern V. Deer, called the incident a “preventable atrocity” and blaming systemic failures for enabling known predators to reoffend.
As national grief turns into collective resolve, attention is now focused on whether the Holness administration will act swiftly to toughen child protection laws and ensure that the public has easier access to crucial safety information.
