A draft report on the ‘Stamp it out’ consultations that generated discussions across the country on reforming the laws on sexual offences is currently available and work is ongoing on the draft legislation.
The delay in the legislation being tabled in the National Assembly was as a result of the consultations being extended to further accommodate individuals willing to contribute to the exercise, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand said yesterday.
Manickchand told Stabroek News the report is out but is still being edited which is why no public announcements were made but noted that the content is being used to inform the legislation that is being drafted.
The Minister stated yesterday that caution is being taken with regard to some things that came out in the report.
“We are going over everything carefully because we do not want to include something in the legislation that can be challenged later, we want to make it strong”, she stated.
According to Manickchand, the process is moving apace and it will not be long before the legislation reaches Parliament.
The ‘Stamp it out’ paper had put forward proposals to reform the law, to strengthen protection, and to improve support and services for victims.
At the time of its release, calls were sounded that the reforms were not just being made on paper, but would be put into practice across Guyana.
Consultations were held across the country with many groups putting forwards proposals to be included in the paper. A number of changes are proposed in the paper such as establishing referral centres in hospitals, changing the definition of rape and introducing a sexual offences court.
