The Trinidad and Tobago government yesterday said that perpetrators of sexual crimes would face the “full brunt of novel laws” aimed at deterring, punishing and shaming rapists, paedophiles and those others with a propensity to commit sexual crimes.

In a statement, the Office of the Attorney General, said that the laws went into effect as of January 31, this year.

It said that under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2019, for the first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago” information on sexual offenders can be shown on an online website for the public to access their names, addresses, photographs and offences committed.

“The Commissioner of Police can also publicise this information for the public to be aware and better protect themselves.

“Between the years 2000–2019, there were a total of 1, 693 persons convicted of sexual offences in Trinidad and Tobago yet zero of those persons were registered in a sexual offender’s registry.  This government identified this lacuna in the law for immediate reform to seriously address the sentencing, registering and monitoring of sex offenders and also provide a critical tool to law enforcement investigations,” the statement ended. The Category 5 storm tore through the archipelago on September 1, killing at least 70 people, with more than 200 missing and damage estimated at US$3.4 billion. (CMC)