Child offenders register comes into force this week

 

The child offenders register comes into force this week, with the concept extending beyond sexual crimes and including all cases where the courts feel that a convicted person should not be allowed near children.

Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said this was milestone legislation, and he considered it one of the most important of the 38 Bills he had presented in Parliament.

Speaking in Parliament on the adjournment, he said the law establishing the child offenders register was a major step that would strengthen protection for one of the most vulnerable components of society.

In terms of the law, persons who were convicted of crimes linked to child abuse - could, if a court so decided, be included in the child offenders register.

The PN electoral programme had originally spoken of the child offenders register being for people who were convicted of sexual crimes against children, he said. However, after careful study, his ministry had decided to extend the concept to all other crimes where it was clear that a convicted person should not be near children.

The register, therefore, was not restricted to sex offenders. It would be the courts that would decide whether a person should be included in the register - on the basis of the crime that was committed and the circumstances presented in the evidence.

In exceptional cases, a court may also issue temporary orders for inclusion in the register, such as when an accused person admitted his crime involving children and before the actual sentence was delivered.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the register would not be publicly accessible. It would be kept in the first hall of the Civil Court, in the same section where secret wills were kept. It would be the court which would decide whether to divulge information found in the register to persons responsible for children.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that as minister, he had moved 33 Bills which had been made law and another five which were pending in Parliament at various stages. However, this was among the most important laws, along with amendments to the Civil Code which protected children from pornography and child trafficking. Clearly, the level of protection to children had been substantially raised, well beyond that of other countries.

The European Commission had recognised this fact in a report last year where it said that Malta was among the best in the protection it afforded children.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FIREWORKS

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also referred to a report on fireworks commissioned by his ministry and published late last year.

He praised those who had written the report and said that several actions would be taken.

All those holding the A licence - who were thus responsible for fireworks factories - would be handed a copy of the report so that they could clearly understand what was happening and what was expected of them.

There would then be a consultation process and all those who wished to suggest how this sector could be improved would be invited to contribute.

The consultation process would be followed by a national conference leading to a roadmap of short term, medium term and long term amendments to the laws regulating fireworks. Dr Mifsud Bonnici recalled various measures which had already been taken, such as improved licence requirements and less powerful fireworks.

However, more remained to be done. 

Most of the people active in the production of fireworks were very responsible persons, but it was important that they were kept up to date with scientific developments, he said. For example, there had been a recent fireworks factory explosion in Italy, from which the local manufacturers could learn.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici thanked Dr Michael Falzon MP, legal adviser of the Pyrotechnics Association, for his help.