Caption: Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange addressing the swearing-in ceremony for the Sexual Harassment Tribunal. Looking on is Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Kamina Johnson Smith. Photo: CMC
KINGSTON – Jamaica has taken a major step toward strengthening protections against sexual harassment with the appointment of 18 authorised officers who have been designated to carry out key duties under the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, and the swearing-in of 14 tribunal members who will hear and rule on related cases across the island.
The appointments were formalised during a ceremony on Thursday, which Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange said was “far from a mere formality.”
“It represents another great stride in our journey as a nation towards a fairer and safer Jamaica for all,” she said. “These appointments are not ceremonial, they are practical, necessary and extremely important.”
The tribunal members have expertise in law, labour, gender, human rights, academia, and landlord-tenant relations, and Grange urged them to demonstrate fairness, compassion, and the ability to handle sensitive matters with dignity and balance.
“Your role is to listen carefully, judge fairly, and ensure that both complainants and respondents receive justice,” she said.
The designated authorised officers, trained through the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Faculty of Criminal Investigation, will serve as the first point of contact for individuals seeking redress. The minister charged them with ensuring that no one is turned away or discouraged when reporting sexual harassment.
“You must ensure that the law is not just known but properly utilised,” she urged. “Your job is to listen without judgement, inform complainants of their rights… and to make sure that not even one complainant is turned away or discouraged.”
Grange said the Sexual Harassment Tribunal, its secretariat, authorised officers, and human resource professionals will function as “a system that says we will no longer ignore sexual harassment”.
“Today, we say you do not have to be silent anymore. Help is here. The law is here, and justice is here,” the minister declared.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith also addressed the gathering, explaining that the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act is about “respecting each other’s space and our ability to live in the way we wish… and engage in the way we want with each other and being aware of that.”
“This is not changing the structure of male and female engagement, or about your ability to start a new relationship,” she said. “It is about protecting people from unwanted advances.”
Johnson Smith also noted that while the law is gender-neutral and offers protection to both men and women, it acknowledges that women are disproportionately affected.
“This is why they tend to be prioritised in the discourse, not to minimise the fact that both genders are affected but recognising the reality,” she said.
Minister Grange concluded by underscoring the broader impact of the appointments: “Today is, indeed, a historic moment for the gender architecture in Jamaica. We’re turning laws into real protection. We are making sure that there is justice for everyone.” (CMC)
