THE HIGH incidence of child abuse and sexual offences against minors has Prime Minister Bruce Golding thinking about devising a plan to protect children from relatives.

"One would have thought that the State's primary role is to protect the children when they are not in the presence of the family," Golding said in Parliament yesterday.

He told the House of Representatives he was privy to data which suggested that a vast number of sexual offences and child abuse cases against minors were being committed by minors.

"We now have to go into the homes and virtually rescue the children from the family there," he said. "It is something that we take very, very seriously."

The prime minister's comment came shortly after he advised the House of the establishment of a task force to devise ways for agencies of the State to better protect and respond more efficiently to children.

Commended

Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, who commended Golding on the move to establish the task force, asked that Parliament urgently debate an issue she has on its Order Paper.

Simpson Miller wants the House to adopt recommendations for changes to the law relating to rape, incest and other sexual offences.

Golding's task force was established yesterday, following recent incidents of violence against children. Some 63 children have been murdered since the start of the year and 398 since 2003.

Meanwhile, Central Kingston Member of Parliament, Ronald Thwaites, wants the Government to implement laws for mandatory DNA testing for persons connected to underage girls who get pregnant.

Golding said mandatory DNA testing for persons connected to underage girls who get pregnant was something he would be prepared to endorse.