ONE of the suggestions being made to improve the Sexual Harassment Bill is widening the scope of people who have a duty of care to address complaints of sexual harassment, including the crew of public transportation such as the State-run Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).

In his submission to the committee, Douglas Seeratan, a private citizen, said he was concerned about the wording of the clause in the Bill that deals with ensuring an environment free of sexual harassment.

Seeratan pointed out that based on the specifications in the Bill, this would exclude a passenger on a bus who is sexually harassed by another passenger, as these victims would have no one to hold accountable for providing an environment that is free of sexual harassment.

“My concern is that our first step in this matter of sexual harassment has to be to present legislation which is workable, and which is enforceable...at this point in time its focus on the workplace and institutions.

Committee chairman, and minister in charge of gender affairs, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, while recounting her own experience with sexual harassment on public transportation said, “I don't think we can have this legislation treating with something like that, but it is a reality; it is real.”