Communities encouraged to be proactive in protecting children
CLARENDON, Jamaica (JIS) — State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green, is encouraging residents to be more proactive in safeguarding children in their neighbourhoods.
“Be vigilant in your communities. Once you suspect something, make a report. The law says if you know something, you must say something,” he said.He was speaking at a Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) Parenting Education Project graduation and recognition ceremony, organised by the Ministry, at St Gabriel’s Anglican Church in May Pen, Clarendon, recently.Green said consequent on the more than 1,200 reports of child abuse received each month, there was a need for zero tolerance to this illicit act.“Recognise every child as your child and your responsibility…we have to stop the culture of silence,” he said.Meanwhile, Green is urging delinquent fathers to take responsibility for maintaining their children.“We must go on a drive to go after the fathers because there are a number of good ones out there,” he said.The State Minister also underscored the need for more fathers to participate in engagements tailored to enhance parenting skills, citing the just concluded programme, which saw only mothers attending, as an example.“We need to change the culture of these parenting workshops that show the involvement of mostly women. The men are not living up to their responsibilities and too many of us are ok with this; we need to call them out,” he emphasised.Meanwhile, the State Minister encouraged the programme’s participants to maximise on the information and training they received by, among other things, instilling positive habits in their children.“Spread the learning you have gained to your communities because we could not touch all the parents who need it. You now have the social skills to help (others) to be better parents.If you spread the word, all the children in the communities will be helped and the communities will be transformed,” Green added.