Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall (right) reads the Throne Speech at yesterday's ceremonial opening of Parliament at Gordon House, Duke Street, downtown Kingston. Also in photo is Captain Samuel T. Ellis, aide-de-camp to the Governor-General.

Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

Legislators will this year focus on the matter of child pornography in Jamaica, a worrying development that has prompted the Ministry ofJustice to draft legislation to tackle the problem.

A piece of legislation titled the Child Pornography Bill will be introduced in Parliament for debate and passage early in the new legislative year.

This was announced yesterday by Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall, while delivering the Throne Speech, which signals the official start of the new parliamentary year.

Tough legislative Measure

The tough legislative measure is intended to make the production, possession and distribution of child pornography a criminal offence in Jamaica. It also seeks to prohibit and prosecute offences against children.

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Senator A.J. Nicholson, had given instructions from July last year for the drafting of this urgent piece of legislation.

At present, pornography is illegal under Jamaican law, but there is no provision in the statute that singles out child pornography as an offence.

Professor Hall, in his second Throne Speech, also indicated that the Government would seek to amend the Obscene Publication Act to increase fines, custodial sentences and modernise the regime of the existing law.

A breach of the Obscene Publications Act, which was passed in 1927, carries a maximum fine of $40 or three months' imprisonment.

High on its agenda

Parliament will also place high on its agenda for passage, two critical bills, which are now before parliamentary committees.

The first is the Charter of Rights Bill, which is intended to replace the existing chapter three of the Constitution with a chapter that provides more comprehensive protection for the fundamental rights and freedom of individuals.

Second, companion measures including the Incest (Punishment) Bill and the Offences Against the Person (Amendment) Bill will also be debated.