Pringle Calls – By Kisean Joseph
Pringle Calls Bipartisan Review
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Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle is calling for an immediate, bipartisan parliamentary review of the country’s child protection system after officials disclosed that 287 cases of child abuse have been documented so far this year.
Pringle made the call in response to questions from Observer Media following last week’s National Child Protection Town Hall, where officials said approximately 30 of the documented cases involved sexual assault.
“I believe Parliament should undertake a comprehensive review of our child protection framework rather than waiting for another tragedy to expose weaknesses in the system,” Pringle said. He identified several areas the review should cover, including mandatory reporting requirements, protections for children who disclose abuse, procedures for interviewing child victims, information-sharing between agencies, investigation timelines, witness support, and how cases involving children are handled before the courts.
Pringle said existing legislation should also be examined to determine whether it adequately addresses modern risks to children, including online grooming and the circulation of abusive material. Where gaps exist, he said he supports bringing amendments before Parliament, though he cautioned that legislation alone would not resolve the problem without trained personnel, adequate resources and effective enforcement.
The Opposition Leader said child protection should transcend party politics.
“This should absolutely be a cross-party issue,” Pringle said. “There should be no government child and no opposition child. They are simply children of Antigua and Barbuda who deserve our protection.”
He said he would support a bipartisan parliamentary approach involving government, opposition, child welfare professionals, law enforcement, educators, healthcare providers, churches and civil society organisations. Pringle added that he was prepared to support any government measures that genuinely strengthen protections for children, and that he would expect the same seriousness in return where the Opposition identifies weaknesses in the current system.
