FAMILY PROTECTION BILL ENSURES FAMILY SAFETY: MEWA

Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Commins Aston Mewa said the Family Protection Bill 2014 is drafted to ensure that all homes and communities are peaceful and safe for all members of the family.

He said it provides preventative measures so that violent behaviour and violent persons can be stopped before they have any chance to inflict further harm on the innocent and vulnerable members of their families.

Committing the Bill to debate in Parliament last week Mr Mewa said it has been developed after long consultation process adding, this is to ensure that it meets the requirement of the country’s international obligations.

“It provides preventative measures so that violent behaviour and violent persons can be stopped in the tracks before they have the chance to inflict further harm on the innocent and vulnerable members of their families. This Bill has been developed after a long consultation process. This is to ensure that it meets the requirement of our international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women and that it meets those requirements in a way that is suitable to the Solomon Islands context.”

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for North Vella La Vella, Milner Tozaka says the Bill is not to break up families but to allow healing and reconciliation between victims of domestic violence and perpetrators.

Speaking in Parliament to debate the Family Protection Bill 2014 today Mr Tozaka says the bill no longer recognizes domestic violence as a family matter, but it is now everybody’s business to address.

He adds, the bill needs to be enforced and that it is everybody’s duty in the society to ensure there is prevention and protection measures to stop these problems.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Central Guadalcanal, Peter Shanel Agovaka says the government needs to take ownership of the Bill.

He added, there is a need for the government to build a Care Centre for victims of domestic violence in the country.

SIBC News understands, there are two private institutions in Honiara that deals with victims of domestic violence, the Family Support Care Centre and the Christian Care Centre.