I am not a lover of online petitions as they are scientifically useful as a grade 1 out of 10 and open to abuse. In other words I want no part of them.

They often do more damage than good and I liken them to the old lynch mob in the Wild West when they hanged people. Even innocent ones!

My views on the staggering incompetence by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service have been documented here on iNews Cayman by two editorials I have penned on the child sex abuse case.

I have normally been 100% behind local activist Sandra Hill and have viewed her run-ins with the police as spiteful by the RCIPS and the Prosecution Department.

In fact I would describe them as disgraceful and wasting our money and precious time on the real thugs and low life within our society. Child molesters being top of the list. If the RCIPS had spent as much time as they have done going after Ms Hill the two men accused of molesting the 11 year old child would not have got off.

However, I am 100% against the petition that Ms Hill has started and no doubt will get hundreds of signatures because of the subject matter – the above.

It is titled “RCIPS Allowed Child Abuser To Go Unpunished!” and includes a number of points, not just the most important one, that if you sign it (online) you are supporting.

If you are in any doubt here it is:

To: Her Excellency The Governor

We, the undersigned persons, are appalled by recent court revelations of complete case management failures by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (“RCIPS”) in the handling of an alleged child abuse case.

It is alleged by the Court that the RCIPS were so incredibly grossly negligent in the handling of this investigation that the accused persons had to be let free by the learned judge as a direct result of their negligence.

According to Justice Owens their failures included, but were not limited to:

inexplicable and inexcusable delays
failure to interview relevant potential witnesses
loss of important notes

These failures are so fundamental in the handling of all investigative cases, but in particular, appalling for persons supposedly professionally trained to handle sensitive sexual abuse cases that there should be no other ultimate response but the lawful dismissal of responsible staff.

We are therefore asking for a public enquiry to be conducted into the actions and failures of the RCIPS as partially outlined by Justice Owens.

WE also ask for a review of why the mother of the child in question who physically chastised the child for reporting the abuse has not been criminally charged pursuant to the mandatory reporting requirements of the Children’s Law (2012 Revision).

WE also fully support HM Governor’s Office convening a special committee to review the necessity of a specialized Child Sexual Abuse Commissioner whose sole responsibility it is to independently oversee all aspects of child abuse allegations through all stages, with its paramount objective being the overall protection and well being of the victim in all instances.

WE further ask for a review of the necessity for a Sex Offender Registry managed by this commissioner or other government authority further to a petition submitted in 2010 – which has so far been ignored by all political parties.

END

I must ask Ms Hill publically why she wouldn’t wait for the RCIPS’s own inquiry to take place FIRST and why she would tack on the review of the necessity for a Sex Offender Registry managed by this commissioner or other government authority?

She must know when it comes to child offenders the identities of the perpetrators has to be kept secret because of protecting the poor underage victim.

The Cayman Islands is a small group of countries and we know who these scum bags are. It is not as if we live in communities with thousands if not millions of people where a Sex Offenders Registry would do some good. It will cause more harm than good here and I am surprised Ms Hill refuses to recognise that fact.

The political parties have NOT ignored the Sex Offender Registry as you claim. They have used common sense over it.

And what is your legal basis for including the mother of the child in this petition? Do you know something I don’t? Or are you basing it on conjecture like the lynch mobs I spoke about?

Therefore, Ms Hill, in this case I cannot support you. I believe your intentions are good but this time you are wrong. You have let your anger cloud your judgement.

The morale of our police service was just getting better and for the safety and protection of all of us we need police who respect us just as much as we respect them.

Do you honestly think anyone within any rank of the RCIPS is clapping their hands with glee at what has happened. The criminals are and they are the very ones who most certainly will sign up to your petition along with the public who are as incensed as I am but are not looking at the other side of the picture.

Leave be for the moment. Let it play out and then if we are unhappy at the outcome I will be with you right at the front.

I might even sign an online petition.