No info on Nicki’s husband

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi - Ayanna Kinsale
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi - Ayanna Kinsale

While the the sex offender register should include foreign offenders visiting here, TT does not yet have any means to get these details from the US authorities, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said on Thursday.

He was addressing the post-Cabinet briefing and replied to questions as to how Trini-born, US rap star Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty, had joined her and Police Commissioner Gary Griffith in a visit to St Jude’s Home during Carnival, when Minaj met the residents. Petty was arrested in California on Wednesday for failing to declare there that he is registered as a sex offender in New York. Minaj has previously defended him over his 1995 conviction, saying, “He was 15, she was 16, in a relationship.” Al-Rawi explained there were gaps in the system to get foreigners onto the register.

Saying such offences could normally be unearthed in the visa application process, he said, “We don’t have a visa arrangement with the USA (to visit TT). Right now we are working on the removal of customs and immigration forms and the use of harmonised forms. So as we get advanced passenger information systems coming into effect, we will know who is a sex offender or not.”

Al-Rawi said the Government had wanted to be able to stamp “sex offender” in the passports of offenders to notify immigration agencies, as is done in Canada, but had been opposed by NGOs.

He boasted the Government had given life to the law setting up a sex register, dormant since 2000, which he was confident could work together with laws against domestic violence, sexual harassment and sexual violence. A reporter pressed him and the AG replied. “We don’t have the advance information by way of visa information from the USA. Until we can compel that information at the airport, we don’t have it.

“So you seem to know the man was a registered sex offender, (but) I don’t know that (and) immigration didn’t know that. There is no mechanism to enforce that yet.” He said TT and USA have bilateral relations.

“But it is not that easy. We will try to work our way towards that. If the public is aware of something, then we can treat with that, but we don’t have an immediate, perfect solution right now.” Al-Rawi said TT is better off than before, having established the register.

He said 2000-2019 had seen 1,600-plus sex convictions, yet no offenders were registered. “At least we finally have a register. We are headed in the right direction.”

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