The Minister of National Security and Member of Parliament for Freetown, the Hon. Wayne Munroe made his contribution to the 2023/24 budget debate on Tuesday. In part of his presentation the Minister addressed sexual crimes in the country.

Munroe said, “so in New Providence its up by 64% in the reporting period to 23 from 14. It fell in Grand Bahama by 56%. It fell in the rest of the family islands but 33% but the increase in New Providence drove an overall increase in rape. The response to that and monies allocated are being spent currently is to address it by establishing a centralized unit to deal with sexual offenses and domestic violence that will house NGOs and victim care professionals.”

The Minister also spoke to the various programs aimed toward crime prevention among juveniles. “Shock Treatment is one. The level of criminality has fallen to a level, and Englerston can tell you, that HYPE is a next one, Helping Young People Excel, its run by the Defence Force, Police Force, Corrections. The Ministry of Education through its administrators, its guidance counselors. Socials service through its social workers in the school. The Ministry of Health through its anti drug program. The Second Chance Program piloted in the South Central Division. Again, statistics are being collected but in the meantime we’re intervening. And so the statistics on the Second Chance in their first iteration is 90%.”

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