‘Prevalence of sexual offences in VI appalling’– Tiffany R. Scatliffe
Today marked the closing of the assizes and as is customary the Crown and other members were given the opportunity to make remarks. It was during the remarks of Ms Scatliffe that the “appalling” revelation was made.
According to Scatliffe, the time has come for the community to work together in protecting women and young girls as the effects of sexual offenses are usually devastating and far reaching. She also alluded to the negative effect the rising number of sexual offense can have on the financial services and tourism industries.
“If we have a high crime rate the FSC and tourism sectors can collapse if not taken in hand urgently.”
Ms Scatliffe had firstly complimented members of the media for cooperating with the court by not reporting on such matters while they were being tried as she noted the severe impact such actions could have on the trial and effective justice for both the defendant and complainant.
The High Court had ordered that media houses disallow blogs/comments for stories on cases while they were in trial. In the case of sexual offenses, the media was debarred from entering the court room as they were tried ‘In camera’. Blogging was only allowed following a verdict and sentencing.
High Court Judge Vikki Ann Ellis also complimented the cooperation of the media but pleaded with bloggers to be more considerate to victims and others involved in such cases. She also noted that while she did not read many of the stories published the general feedbacks were commendable. “After sentence is rendered you are free to blog for the rest of your life… but remember we have to be responsible and considerate.”
The first assizes for 2014 is set to commence in February and, according to Attorney at Law Mr Stephen Daniels, the job of dispensing justice in the Virgin Islands under the present system is one that is very technical and difficult but was well handled by Ms Ellis. It was the first assizes Ms Ellis presided over in the VI following the departure of former High Court Judge Mr Albert Redhead who has since returned to his homeland, Grenada.
Most persons in the courtroom this morning were jurors who were called to serve during the assizes. They were all assured of their payments before Christmas and were advised by Ms Ellis to be cautious in their spending.
36 Responses to “‘Prevalence of sexual offences in VI appalling’– Tiffany R. Scatliffe”
If they try to make you SU_K..Bite it off
If they try to make you F*-K..Chop it off
If you have on good shoes...Kick it in
Ladies...Protect yourselves! These are just some of the ways I have been taught and scream,yell and tell!
No people skills at all.
I am still wondering why the Andre Penn case was not heard. This matter has been going on for years and every time, it is adjourned. The judge has not spoken about how many matters were heard and why the dead silence in this case. Justice delayed is justice denied. madam judge.
it's all about name sake and now read between the lines. Sad to see how he making joke of the courts system .....sad indeed!!
I'm starting to take classes to better defend myself & protect my kids and I hope if some idiot decides to invade my space & I render some part of him useless the law won't be quick to say I was wrong because guess what if it means me losing my freedom to protect my children I will do it all over again.
["No person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his Freedom of Expression"]
The main clause here is "Hindered".
Her Majesty-The Queen declared,in the V.I Constitution, that Her Citizens and Residents of the BVI, Shall Not be "Hindered" or [Prevented] from exercising their Freedom of Expression.
Were we Hindered,in Contravention of the V.I Constitution?
So, The Madam PCC call for the community to come together to deal with matters of sexual abuse against women and children.
For over 28 years,I have seen many legislation,which have increased the penalties for these type of offences,in the BVI and in most cases the Judge would give the appropriate sentence,to suit the aggravating factors of the case,considering the low age of the victim: Good!
Q.C,if you read this,please correct me if I am wrong:
I believe,the Legislators of the B.V.I,need to make laws to control the parents of children who were molested.
Many times you have circumstances,where,after a big man has been arrested and charge for sexually molesting a child,the mother or father will do many things to prevent that child from testifying in court:
Sometimes, a little ""Hush-Money"" is involve.
On Blogging:
I understand what the Madam Justice said about free and democratic bloggers should be considerate with the victims and others involve in the case.
But I have seen VINO,from looking at some bloggs; edit or delete certain statements that may be posted,which VINO might have identified as improper to be posted.
That is what professional journalism is all about.It's not what a blogger wrote,but is what the media published.
Because Her Majesty,The Queen,declared in Chapter 2- section 23 of Her V.I Constitution,that it is persons Fundamental Rights and Freedoms to express themselves in whatever form [writing,talking,singing etc..] without insults and disrespect to others: I don't believe it was the right thing to do,when Bloggers were not allowed to express themselves on trials of sexual nature:
But the BVI people are law abiding citizens,and certainly,would not have displayed any civil disobedience to a Judge,even though they believe it was a violation of a Fundamental Right under Her Majesty's V.I Constitution to prevent them from blogging..
Please Judge,allow the media to report all cases.Let the people blogg, it's our joy and Freedom under the V.I Constitution:
We prefer to blogg - than to fight physically.Let us blogg
first things first;i want t...f to be my next baby mother-she looks nice; while the leaders of the BVI busy making all kinds of laws no new laws are being drafted to protect the young children and that is a shame; i conclude the government have no reguard for the BV citzens; where are the laws to fight against these dirty old men that rape and abuse our under-age children; government busy "ploting" to build air-port & sea-ports...
If you were truly part of a legal team you would know that 1) a prosecutor is never called madam and 2) the ECHR gave several fundamental human rights as reflected in our constitution, AND admin law an eu law 101 tells you that one right will not be given be allowed to be exercised by person to the detriment of the other's human rights. See Douglas wedding pictures case. Media took the pictures and freedom rights give them the rights to publish BUT whoaoaoaoa horsie!
I call a woman [""MADAM""] Tiff is a woman,she is a [""Madam""]
When I use to address officers of the Court [""Inside Her Majesty's court""] I said,""Your Worship;or The defense or The Crown's representative or my lord""]
I am no longer in a Court house appearing for Her Majesty;OK.
I am now a FREE and DEMOCRATIC-BLOGGER on VINO! FREE TO BLOGG on whatever topic I want.
Administrative Law 101? That's all you study? So what! But I completed Law 112-Litigation and Evidence,University of the West Indies: So what!
But we are not discussing studies,We are discussing V.I Constitution and BVI Statutory-Law!!!
Did I read your blogg correctly?What did you say ""BLOGGING IS NOT FREE SPEECH?"" ARE YOU A TERRORIST? WHAT DID YOU SAY?HELLO? [Did you say ""blogging is not free speech?""?]
VINO;Her Majesty-The Queen,gave Her BVI Citizens,the Fundamental Right to BLOGG!
The Queen declared in Chapter 2 of the V.I Constitution,the following:-
Section [9] of the V.I Constitution-Her Majesty declared to the BVI Citizens-
[""Where as every person in the Virgin Islands is ENTITLED to Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual""]
[""Whereas those Fundamental Rights and freedoms ARE Enjoyed without Distinction of any kind""]
Hello,""LOL is right"", Did you blogg that [""Blogging is not free speech""] OK
Let us now read section 23 of the Virgin Islands Constitution!We will all read what Her Majesty,The QUEEN declared to Her BVI Citizens and to VINO:
Fasten your seat belts,for-
section 23-
[Protection of freedom of Expression]
as written in the V.I Constitution: Section 23 States:-
[""(1) No person shall be hindered in the Enjoyment of His or Her Freedom of EXPRESSION""]
Wait VINO,there is more to be published-Subsection (2) of section 23-
[""(2) A person's Freedom of EXPRESSION includes freedom to hold opinion without interference, freedom to receive information and ideas without interference, freedom to disseminate information and ideas without interference( Whether to the Public Generally or to any person or class of persons) and freedom to from interference with his or her correspondence or OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION""]
Hello, LOL and LOL is right; ["Did you say blogging is not free speech?"]
Well;Her Majesty-The Queen,bestowed upon Her Citizens,The Fundamental Right to BLOGG on VINO,as declared in Section 23 of the V.I Constitution,as written above!
LOL? AND LOL is right? You will NOT INTIMIDATE the Bloggers on this news site,with your Misleading and DECEPTIVE-MISREPRESENTATION of the V.I Constitution,that Blogging "Is not free speech".
You are LIARS! You blogg freely and also said [""It (Blogging) is defamation and libel""] You Communist!
""BLOGGING ON VINO IS FREE SPEECH"",UNDER SECTION 23 OF THE V.I CONSTITUTION!
However,the right to blogg does not give one the authority to commit a criminal offence,with words that may be criminalized in the Criminal Code,such as [words -of-LIBEL].
For Example:
Part XVIII, [CRIMINAL LIBEL],defines 8 sections in the Criminal Code,1997-Laws of the Virgin Islands,to control persons,even though they have freedom of speech under section 23 of the V.I Constitution:OK?
Let us look at CRIMINAL LIBEL-Section 273 of the Criminal Code,1997-Laws of the Virgin Islands:
Her Majesty's BVI STATUTORY-Law States:-
[""(1) Subject to the other provisions of this Part,any person who,by printing,writing,painting,effigy or by ANY OTHER MEANS in a permanent form and otherwise than solely by gestures,spoken words or sounds,UNLAWFULLY PUBLISHES any defamatory matter concerning another person with intent to defame that other person,commits the offence of LIBEL and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or both""]
That is the BVI Law to control LIBELOUS BLOGGING! I live in BVI Law and I bathe in BVI Law!
VINO is a very RESPONSIBLE media House, who,from all indications would either edit or may be delete some Bloggs that may be LIBELOUS!
To LOL and LOL is right:
Don't come on VINO,and Blogg FREELY,and in the same BloGG,you are writing to say,in a paragraph [""blogging is not free speech""]
If Blogging is not free-SPEECH; Send the Police TO arrest VINO's Bloggers! Check what you wrote.
To my fellow Bloggers on VINO;There is a traitor on board,examine their Bloggs;They want to destroy FREE BLOGGING on VINO: The Queen of UK,declared in section 23 of Her V.I Constitution,that it is your [""FREEDOM of EXPRESSION""] to BLOGG!
But the BVI Statutory LAW-section 273 of the CODE,is WARNING, that if you blogg,you CANNOT defame any body's Character:
And VINO,would ensure that its BLOGGERS do NOT defame people!
BUT BLOGGING IN THE BVI IS FREE SPEECH!
LOL and LOL is right, I know you are hurt by what I wrote before in the recent sentencing case of Thomas,OK: you feel bad.....
Shame on you COWARDS!
But please don't MISLEAD my B.V.I people>
This legal team person made some good legal points.
While it is true,persons have freedom of speech to blogg,pursuant to section 23 of the v.i Constitution,a blogger still have to be minded of the law which forbids libel and Defamation.
but Blogging is Freedom of speech.So Legal team is constitutionally correct.
Blogging is indeed freedom of speech,which is a Fundamental right pursuant to cap.2 section 9,of the v.i Constitution, as quoted by Legal team.
The bloggers (named, LOL ) seems not to understand what is Freedom of speech in a free society.
Legal team defines it correctly,in section 23 of the v.i Constitution.
To Legal team,you are a professional legal researcher of b.v.i laws.Keep up the good social work.
this is high level of unconditional talent and brilliance.
I wish Legal team well,in his or her future legal studies.
Section 274 states:-
[""Defamatory matter is matter likely to injure the reputation of any person exposing him to hatred,contempt or ridicule,or likely to damage any person in his profession or trade by injury to his reputation or to disturb the peace of the community""]
You want the free bloggers of VINO to believe that if they blogg and criticise truthfully,giving their views and opinion,without insults to any named-person; you call free blogging
[''defamation and libel''] How could free blogging,without name-calling be "Defamation and Libel"?
First of all bloggers do not identify themselves,with the exception of Legal Team:
And bloggers use slang and other names to identify a person in public life,especially,if what the blogger is going to say,may be personal or libelous;
But VINO,I noticed would edit or delete certain names or language used:
So,how can you tell bloggers that their free blogging is defamatory and libelous.
If you after Legal Team,just say it! bullets couldent stop me,you can't either:
Legal Team,is a surviving Soldier; You can't Kill me>
I am calling on my people to continue blogging:Don't be INTimidated!
HOW CAN THE BLOGGER 'lol is right' write a blogg to that BLOGGING IS NOT FREE?
You can see is the media and vino they are after.They involve legal team,because of how the legal team expose the crown,when the crown tell a judge give a convicted man 15 to 20 yrs in prison, but legal team we all saw,research the bvi law,then let the crown know that 'you don't have no power in the bvi law to rudely and disrespectfully tell a judge how many years you want for sentence'
Once again,I read a blogg from legal team,which is a blogg on legal education of section Chapter 2,section 9 & 23 of the constitution and also sections 273 & 274 of the code,on libel and defamation of character,exactly how it written in the bvi law.I have a copy of the criminal code,but some unknown reason,my eyes just never fall on those sections 273&274. Sorry public,but I didn't know that Libel and defamation were criminal offences.I thought they were Civil matters.Thank you again legal team;you are a professor on bvi law and bvi constitution. look at part of yr qualification ,law 112 university of the west indies..they coming with admin law 101.you show them bvi law and v.i constitution.let them blogg freely about you.hurt dem hurting.
WE LOVE YOU TIFFANY ITS TIME THEY MADE YOU THE DPP OU WILL DO A MUCH BETTER JOB