The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE chair of the newly appointed Protection Against Violence Commission says she expects the body to be fully established and operational by May, with members set to hold their first meeting today.

Marisa Mason-Smith told The Tribune that significant groundwork is already underway to ensure the commission meets its mandate.

“You have to plan and prepare for when we become official to the public,” she said yesterday, ”because we know that people have been coming and people have been looking forward to this commission for the past ten years.”

“We definitely want to execute as per the mandate and to the strategic visioning and plan for violence in the country so we are definitely committed to working hard to achieve the objectives and goals of the Act.”

Her comments to this newspaper follow the government’s formal appointment of the commission, activating a key enforcement body under the Protection Against Violence Act, 2023, nearly three years after the law was gazetted.

The commission does not yet have a permanent office and will operate from the Ministry of Social Services’ building until one is established.

The body, among other things, would serve as the central body coordinating national efforts to combat gender-based violence, monitoring data, managing shelters, and ensuring victims receive support and protection under the law.

Other committee members include Co-Chair Pastor David Burrows, Desiree Clarke, from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Dr Roslyn Astwood of the Bahamas Christian Council, Deputy Director of Culture Portia Sands and others.

Yesterday, Mrs Mason-Smith praised the group’s broad knowledge, expertise and passion, and expressed confidence that they will make meaningful progress.

Commission members have described the challenge of addressing violence as generational and complex, emphasising the need for education and guidance to break harmful cycles. Members stressed that protection strategies must be inclusive, particularly for people with disabilities, and that the Commission’s work should be grounded in moral accountability, compassion, and respect for family and community.

Meanwhile, Social Services Minister Myles LaRoda said the Commission gives institutional force to the Act, converting legislative intent into coordinated action.

Referencing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, he argued that social development cannot advance without elevating women to equal status and strengthening families as the core unit of society.

“Each of us can speak to the love of a mother, grandmother, or mother figure who shaped our lives,” he said. “When she is harmed, the family is harmed. When the family is harmed, the community weakens. And when communities weaken, national progress is compromised.”

Several committee members are scheduled to travel to New York next week to attend the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) session.