THE EDITOR, Sir:
I HAD an experience sometime in July of this year when two street children without the driver's permission wiped the windscreen of the vehicle I was in and when told that there was no money to pay them the picture was not a pretty one.
It is my belief that legislation should be enacted whereby the parents of street children should be compelled to get these children off the street.
The state should never take up the responsibility of caring for these children as there must be mothers and fathers; where the state could assist is if both parents are dead. The Government should arrange to take them off the street, question them as to their place of abode so that contacts can be made with parents or relatives.
It is time that parents think of the responsibilities that would lay ahead when thinking of child-bearing, and we take too many things for granted, and this should be dealt with appropriately as they cannot go from here to there getting children for the fun of it, yet turn them out on the streets to be a menace to society.
The National Initiative for Street Children, Child Care Officers, and Probation Officers could be asked to co-ordinate the entire settlement of these children in their respective homes.
Yes, they will be the future men and women of tomorrow however we need to correct the present trend before it reaches a state where we cannot control such a situation.
I am, etc.,
DOROTHY SMITH
Bull Savannah P.A.
St. Elizabeth
