14-member tribunal sworn in to tackle sexual harassment
Published:Friday | July 18, 2025 | 12:13 AMCorey Robinson/Senior Staff Reporter
A 14-member Sexual Harassment Tribunal, chaired by retired judge Ferdinand Algernon Smith, was officially sworn in yesterday by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.
The swearing-in marks a major step forward in Jamaica’s efforts to combat sexual harassment and uphold the rights of individuals under the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act of 2021.
The tribunal is mandated to provide a confidential, impartial, and legally sound process for handling complaints of sexual harassment. Beyond adjudication, its responsibilities include fostering a culture of dignity and respect in workplaces and other institutions and ensuring that both complainants and respondents receive fair and effective redress.
Attorneys Indera Persaud and Karen Campbell Bascoe will serve as deputy chairpersons. Other members of the tribunal include attorneys Khadrea Folkes, Shaneek Rose Clacken, Karen Wilson, and Debby-Ann Brown-Salmon; Supreme Court mediators Camille Lee, Clare Pamela Miller, and Kevel Campbell; Donald Roberts, industrial relations consultant; Junior Latibeaudiere, senior industrial relations officer; Dr Meric Dale Walker, president of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; and Dr Devon Merrick Dick, pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church.
HISTORIC MOMENT
Also sworn in at the ceremony were 18 authorised officers who have been trained to carry out investigations, conduct sensitisation sessions, and assist in preparing cases for mediation. These officers include gender affairs experts, shelter managers, investigators, and other key stakeholders.
In her keynote address, Olivia Grange, minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sports, said the swearing-in was a historic moment for the gender architecture of Jamaica.
“Sexual harassment is not a harmless banter. It is an abuse of power that can leave lasting scars. It silences people; it drives them out of jobs and schools and robs them of their confidence and sense of safety. For too long, survivors felt their best option was to say nothing. That has now changed,” said Grange.
“Today, we say you do not have to be silent anymore. Help is here, the law is here, and justice is here. Let us work together to improve lives. Let us be guided by fairness, care, and respect for every person who comes forward. This is how we build a better Jamaica. We are turning laws into real protection. We are making sure that there is justice for everyone,” added the minister.
Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, who was integral in the formulation of the Sexual Harassment Act 2001, explained that it iwas not aimed at policing men and women interactions.
“This is not changing the structure of male and female engagement or your ability to start a new relationship or let someone know that you like them. It is about protecting people from unwanted advances,” she charged. “An 18-year-old starting a job in a wholesale to send her younger sibling to school should not have to trade her dignity for the ability to earn. Someone moving from a rural area for the first time and negotiating with a landlord should not have to trade her dignity for that landlord-tenant relationship,” she said.
IMPORTANT ROLE
“It is about respecting each other’s space and our ability to live and engage with each other,” she said, adding that the bill was particularly difficult to get through as there were several pre-conceived notions about the dynamic between men and women.
Meanwhile, Chairman Smith, in his address, reiterated the correlation between sexual harassment and workplace stress, depression and anxiety, which ultimately leads to a decline in organisation and productivity.
“Having said that, I need not say anything more to convince you of the importance of the role that members of the tribunal will undertake. The oath that each member took is a commitment that we will perform our duty to the best of our ability without fear or favour,” he charged.