Our Readers' Opinions
August 16, 2016

Did the Governor General sign the ‘cyber-crime’ act?

Editor: According to the wording of the recently passed “cyber-crime” act, it criminalizes the publishing or communicating of anything on the Internet that causes fear, distress or is a detriment to the emotional well-being of another person. This act is now published, in full, on the Internet. Does that mean I can press charges against the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines for inducing fear and distress in me, and being a detriment to my emotional well-being? The Government for sure has made me more fearful and distressed and my emotional well-being has certainly been diminished.{{more}}

As of right now (Monday, August 15th), I do not know if the Governor General has signed the bill, as I believe he is supposed to, or if it has been gazetted, so technically it may not be law yet. Governors General in the past, in other countries, have refused to sign bills that they believed were not in the best interest of the citizenry, or were in conflict with their duties as the Queen’s Representative, which they are sworn to uphold. I wonder if there is, within our current Governor General, the courage to so act in this instance. I am not inciting sedition, just asking a rhetorical question.

HJA