Antigua to Make Sex Offenders Registry Public
Antigua and Barbuda is moving to make its Sex Offenders Registry publicly accessible, including the publication of photographs of convicted offenders, in a significant shift from the current restricted-access system.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the decision over the weekend, instructing Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Sir Steadroy Benjamin to take the necessary legal and administrative steps to open the registry to the general public. The move follows growing pressure from child-protection advocates and comes as reported cases of child abuse in the country approach 300 for the year.
Under the existing framework, the Sex Offenders Registry—operational since November 2022—has not been freely available to ordinary residents. Eligible individuals must apply through the Commissioner of Police to access information, a process that limits public awareness of who is listed.
The proposed public registry would allow residents to identify convicted sex offenders more easily, with the government indicating that photographs will be included alongside other details. However, authorities have not yet specified exactly what information will be published, which convictions will qualify for inclusion, how long individuals will remain on the public list, or whether there will be restrictions on how the data can be used or shared.
Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Rawdon Turner welcomed Browne’s decision, describing it as an important first step in protecting vulnerable children. Turner highlighted that 287 child-protection cases have been recorded so far this year, underscoring the urgency of stronger safeguards.
The announcement also aligns with broader calls for tougher responses to sexual offences. Browne has recently clashed with regional judicial bodies over what he describes as lenient sentences in sexual offence cases and has floated additional measures, including chemical castration for repeat child sex offenders.
Further details are expected from the Office of the Attorney General on the amendments or regulations required to implement public access, the specific information that will be published, and the timeline for launching the new system. Once operational, the public registry is intended to give parents, schools, and community organisations better tools to assess risk and protect children from convicted offenders.
