by Linda Straker
- Humphrey calls country’s sexual-related crimes statistics an epidemic
- Carnival activities and radio stations programming promote sexual objectivisation of women
President of the Senate, Chester Humphrey is of the belief that the lyrics in certain genres of music are contributing to the growing statistics of sexual-related offences in the country. At the same time, he has named carnival activities and radio stations programming as enabling institutions of that kind of behaviour.
“They promote the sexual objectivisation of women. The lyrics are essentially an instruct in sexual anatomy and it is played openly,” Humphrey said, speaking on the adjournment of Wednesday’s sitting of the Upper House.
Humphrey is of the opinion that music played on radio stations prepare young men to see women for only one thing. “There is little wonder that we have this explosion of sexual crimes because people are conditioned,” he said, pointing out that there are no rating agencies nor enforcement of decency laws.
Elaborating on the opinion about the role of carnival in promoting sexual crimes, Humphrey said that the State, through Carnival, encourages and promotes public indecency.
“We take State funds and give it to something called a mas’ band that violates all our public decency laws, and we award them band of the year with taxpayers’ money to be indecent,” said Humphrey. He expressed his pity that Norland Cox, Minister for Culture and Art was not present at the sitting.
Humphrey who has continuously raised his concerns about the breakdown of social and moral traditions describes the island’s sexual-related crimes statistics as an epidemic. “I have never witnessed anything equal to what is happening now. Parliament has a responsibility; parliament has a responsibility to the citizens and to the constitution. The role of parliament is to pass laws for the good governance, for the safety and wellbeing of its citizens,” he said.
He called for a review of recent matters in which a 41-year-old man received a suspended one year sentence and a fine of EC$3,200 for indecently assaulting a minor by engaging in oral sex while she was between the age of 3 and 4. The child is presently 5. “This is not an attack on the judiciary because I am still investigating the fact if whether or not there was objective limitation to fit the offence in respect of the punishment. The pendulum has swung too far in favour of the criminal,” he said.
Informing the parliament that he is profoundly disturbed by the outcome of the matter which was heard in the magistrate court, Humphrey said that there is evidence indicating that there is more sympathy in favour of the criminal today.
Referring to a regional matter, he spoke about an individual who was just released from an American prison. “He was caught in their system with cocaine and I was shocked to hear the news this week that the person arrived in Trinidad this week for some cultural activity and the police, on the basis of probable cause, executed a search warrant,” he said.
“What worries me is that individual is being peddled as a hero and so the police commissioner now issues an apology to the police executing its function on the principle of probable cause. What is happening to Caribbean civilisation?” he said.
Calling for women to come out and protest about the social scourge and how some of them are treated in the justice system, Humphrey said too many times society, including parliamentarians, just go into hibernation on such matters after a period of open grievance.
For committing such a bloody awful crime on the child. This individual shouldn’t be on bail. Bail to carry out a few more of his nastiness on other children. Shame on the police and other minister’s for allowing the country criminal to escape the full punishment. Grenada is becoming a big joke to the outside world
Sooner or later the tourism industry is going to die out because of the overwhelming charges the vendors are placing on them and the other side is the criminal’s. I grew up in Grenada and I am was proud to tell the world, but over the past few years? And the blaming of the carnival and radio for attacks on women is ludicrous. Carnival and music has been in our culture for generations, to blame them it’s a crime. Maybe it’s the lack of entertainment, the lack of blacko on the weekend even dancing to enjoy themselves. Bring the FUN back in Grenada and stop bringing it down to the worthless level you political individuals also your police need to relax with the young people and put them time and effort in keeping the children of Grenada out of the hands of pervert!!! KEEP YOUR HANDS OF THE CARNIVAL… AND KEEP GRENADA CLEAN BEAUTIFUL AND PURE!!!
On the local food disappearing… Grenada shouldn’t introduced so many fast food to the country. A lot of people visiting the country, would rather enjoy the local food and drinks. Even desserts made from local grown would be a better taste and enjoyment, than the KFC, THE SUB AND OTHER JUNK FOOD WHAT TAKING OVER THE CARIBBEAN. Time to wake up and bring back the good days. Use the home grown products and make people talk about how the food in Grenada is to die for full stop!!! Teach the young people that Grenada have delicious food’s around them and show them to use it all in the right way. Local grown no artificial ingredients needed.. LOVE GRENADA PLEASE!
HIGHLY COMMENDABLE PRESENTATION
A rather rarely, but ‘…Highly Commendable Parliamentary Presentation.’
It speaks to a man possessing the ‘…courage of the biblical character David; …showing fearlessness of a tiger; and displaying the patriotism necessary to help in building the nation.
He may have stirred the ‘…social and moral conscience of the nation,’ while encouraging behavioral change in the citizenry who will have embraced, accepted or see certain behavior as ‘…cultural expressions.’
He may also have seen the ‘…apparent blunderous actions’ of the TNT Commissioner of Police.
Such actions appeared to have bordered ‘…egoistic recklessness.’