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Reasons objecting to Sex Offenders Registry unclear says Maharaj

Maggie Boyle Senior Multimedia Journalist [email protected] | @MaggieFBCNews

July 16, 2019 4:52 pm

Some residents in Navua have rejected the proposed legislation, the Registration of Sex Offenders Bill.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights last night held consultations in Deuba Village and at Rampur College to get feedback on the Bill and raise awareness on what the Bill sets out to do.

The Sex Offenders Registry Bill proposes that all convicted sex offenders be registered on a database that will be held with the Police Commissioner and the Commissioner of Corrections Service.

Committee Chair Alvick Maharaj says the reactions have been a mixed bag, with some members of the community outright rejecting Bill’s implementation.

“The reason wasn’t actually quite clear because they actually came up with that this is a breach of the constitution and breach of human rights. They weren’t actually able to explain why and how but I think it was just their views that this Bill should now be passed.”

Meanwhile today, the committee continued their public consultations travelling to Namosi.

Tomorrow the committee will be in Sigatoka.

Effectively under the Bill, all Fijians convicted of serious sexual crimes will have to register their details of where they reside and work in addition to reporting regularly to a nearby police station.