NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said yesterday that he does not believe Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe’s remarks on a recent sexual assault ruling warrants his resignation.
Davis said Munroe appeared to express his personal views when they ought to be kept “with himself” given his Cabinet post.
After Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Franklyn Williams was accused by several activists and politicians of victim-blaming for his comment on the matter, Munroe suggested that the perpetrator could have received a lesser sentence because the victim had sex with him willingly, despite her being under the age of consent.
“First of all, what we have to appreciate is sentencing is in the purview of the judge and the court,” Davis said during the OPM’s press briefing.
“It is not for me or anyone else to comment on what the judge may have done.
“We may have our view as to what we may have been done, but it is what the judge did.
“In so far as sentencing in respect to crimes against women, I have made myself illusively clear, we need to protect our women.
“We need to ensure that the laws are enforced to the utmost, so as to deter further assaults on our women and deter the violence against our women.”
As to the calls for Munroe to resign, Munroe said: “I don’t know what he has done amounts to that.
“He has already expressed his regrets in my conversations with them.
“And if you follow what he had to say, it appears more of his personal view and he has to come to learn as a young politician that when he holds the post as he does, his personal views may be best kept with himself and personal.”
A joint statement from the women’s representation of the Free National Movement condemned the comments and called for their “counterparts in the PLP” to join in rebuke of the statements from the minister.
Munroe later released a statement condemning adults who have sex with underage children, and outlined the current laws on sentencing as it relates to the matter. He said the government is “unified” in wanting to send a clear message to predators.
Yesterday, the prime minister Davis said he has been “profoundly disturbed” about the many incidents that target women and children.
“We should all agree on this one thing: grown men should stay away from children and should be punished to the fullest extent of our laws when they do not,” Davis said.
“The sentences should punish the wrong-doing and be lengthy enough to deter others from committing the same crimes.
“Where existing penalties may not be severe enough, I have asked my Attorney General to lead a comprehensive overview and to advise my Cabinet of the steps we can take to make those stronger.”
The details of the case and the four-year plea deal given by the court have been highly debated, with some calling for stricter penalties and better enforcement.
According to the Sexual Offences Act, section 11, any person who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a person between 14 and 16 years old, with or without their consent, is guilty of an offense and is liable to life in prison.
The Office of the Attorney General is reviewing the law with plans to reform areas of inconsistencies with the respect to the age of consent and gender-based violence, among other key areas.
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