by Nisha Paul

• Secondary school student raised concerns about penalties imposed on sex offenders
• Specialised court expected to begin operating in January 2027
• Sex Offender Registry would formally record information on individuals convicted of qualifying sexual offences

A dedicated court for sexual offence cases is expected to open in Grenada in January 2027, as the country moves towards a more specialised response to crimes of a sexual nature.

The planned Sexual Offences Court is emerging alongside proposed legislative changes that could reshape how Grenada deals with sex offenders, including the establishment of a Sex Offender Registry.

The developments were outlined this week during DMs with PM — an interactive broadcast with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell — after a secondary school student raised concerns about the penalties imposed on sex offenders and called for a registry to be established.

Minister for Legal Affairs and Attorney General Claudette Joseph. Screenshot: DMs with PM, 15 September 2026

Minister for Legal Affairs and Attorney General Claudette Joseph disclosed that the specialised court is expected to begin operating in January. “The Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Supreme Court Registry are working together to have that court fully commenced in January of 2027.”

The move would create a dedicated judicial space for sexual offence matters, bringing greater focus to cases that can often involve vulnerable victims and complex legal proceedings. But the proposed court is only one piece of a broader legislative overhaul now being considered by the government.

Prime Minister Mitchell confirmed that a draft Sex Offender Registry Bill is among several pieces of legislation being worked on by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Community Development. “It is part of many of the legislative changes that are earmarked and are being worked upon by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Community Development.” He said the government expects the changes to be brought forward in the next legislative session, adding, “I’d say within the next legislative session that those are changes to the law that we expect to see.”

Mitchell also highlighted an important distinction between lawmakers and the courts when it comes to punishment. While Parliament determines the legal framework and establishes sentencing parameters through legislation, the prime minister stressed that the decision on the sentence imposed in an individual case belongs to the judiciary. “And we have to remind the public that while Parliament passes the law that would set the framework for the sentencing, the actual imposition of the sentencing is for the judges and magistrates,” he said.

The proposed Sex Offender Registry is likely to attract particular attention as the government works through the legislation. Such a measure would introduce a formal system for recording information on individuals convicted of qualifying sexual offences, although the details of the proposed framework have yet to be fully outlined.

For now, the planned court represents the most immediate development, with January 2027 set as the target for its launch. It comes amid continuing calls for stronger measures to protect victims, hold offenders accountable and ensure that sexual offence cases receive focused attention within the justice system.

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