Dancehall artiste Ce’Cile slammed people opposing making the Jamaican sex offender registry public in a statement released on social media on Monday.
There have been growing calls to make the sex offender registry open to members of the public. Calls for the registry to be easily accessible intensified following the rape and murder of 9-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon as well as several other highly publicised recent crimes against women and children.
However, some have cautioned against making the registry public, including human rights activist Carla Gullotta. During an interview with the Jamaica Star, Gullotta said that she was strongly against making the registry public and thought that it should only be accessed by “those involved in the justice system — police, probation officers, and other professionals who have a reason to use it.”
The advocate expressed her fear that members of the public may take matters into their own hands and implement “jungle justice,” attacking alleged offenders. Gullotta highlighted the need for offenders to be given serious sentences through the courts and not by mob violence.
Ce’Cile reacted to Gullotta’s statement in a post on her Instagram page. While the singer noted that everyone has the right to express their opinions she said that she strongly disagreed with the advocate’s statement.
Ce’Cile explained that the assumption that some people may seek jungle justice is no excuse to deny the public the right to access the registry.
“I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THIS!!! The right to this info should not be based on some idea/ assumption that “someone MAY” do jungle justice at any time to anybody .. THAT IS THEIR BUSINESS!!! The right to this info is first and foremost to PROTECT!!! PROTECT!! PROTECT INNOCENT CHILDREN FROM BEING PREYS to dem DRANCO YAH,” Ce’Cile wrote in her lengthy statement.
The artiste further expressed that she was hurt by Gullotta’s statements. Ce’Cile, who shares a daughter with fellow artiste Christopher Martin, sent on to highlight how children are being preyed on in the country.
“THIS IS NOT HELPING AND ME TIRED A DIS!!!!!!!!! We business wid who want to be a next criminal??????? Who are we trying to PROTECT!!! it’s the KIDS!!!!!! This HURT MY FEELINGS ME UPSET!!!!! Kids are dying!! Kids are being raped and abused and we talking about assumptions here!!!!! #she basically saying we the citizens should not know if predators are in our communities only THE SAME SET A PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW MUST KNOW!!! Yow I’m CONFUSED!” Ce’Cile wrote.
In addition to the public having access to the list of convicted offenders, Ce’Cile said that the public should also be made aware of repeat offenders out on bail.
“So if a repeat sex offender, say gets bail.. the community he is known to frequent should know, in fact the entire Jamaica fi know. How u gonna give a repeat offender bail. Put him on the streets and don’t put the schools etc or community on guard? Figure it out… oonu figure it out….its not gonna be easy! But we need RELIEF!! We need protection!”
