By Petrina Francis and Tyrone Reid, Gleaner ReportersMANY JAMAICANS are ignorant of the existence of the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA), which facilitates the prosecution of parents who deliberately neglect their children.
The act reaffirms that children are the subjects of rights and that collectively, individuals, families, communities, institutions and the government are duty-bound to ensure that these rights are promoted, protected and upheld.
Under the act, it is mandatory that persons with information of neglect or abuse of children report such situations to the relevant authorities. It also places a duty on every person responsible for the maintenance of a child to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, lodging and health care appropriate to the age and needs of the child.
Section 28 of the act states that 'Every person having the custody, charge or care of a child between the ages of four and 16 years shall take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the child is enrolled at, and attends, school'.
PERSONS CAN
APPLY FOR HELP
If a person is financially unable to provide for a child, the law states that the person can apply to the Minister (of Education) for assistance.
However, ignorance is never an acceptable excuse for breaching the law. Still, upon being enlightened about some of the core clauses in the CCPA, many persons with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke expressed reservation in contacting the authorities if they were aware of a case where a breach of the CCPA was occurring.
"Mi fraid di people dem come beat mi", said Sherine McKnight, a resident of Tivoli Gardens. Similar sentiments were expressed by Roxanne Chin, another resident of Tivoli Gardens, who said "Mi nuh waan dem sey mi a fas' inna dem business."
IN THE DARK
Ronnette Thompson, who resides in Mona, was also in the dark about the existence of the CCPA. The 20 year -old university student said that while she would report a child who was being abused, she would not want to go through the legal proceedings out of fear for her life.
"I wouldn't want to get involved in the court matter because I don't know what people would do to me," she explained.
On the other hand, although Tenny Graham, who also lives in Mona, was ignorant of the act, he said that he would report the matter to the authorities because it was the morally correct thing to do.
SERIOUS ACT
"No I am not aware of that. You have enlightened me today. It's a serious act," he said.
Mr. Graham pointed out that some parents believe that they are securing their children by locking them inside the house but most times, they are doing them more harm than good.
Carlene Bailey, a hospital nurse who also hails from Mona, was the only interviewee who was aware of the CCPA. Ms. Bailey said that she would definitely report the abuse, if she was aware of it.
Several men from the Tivoli Gardens community told The Sunday Gleaner that they would look after their neighbour's children if the request was made.
"Right here so, we haffi protect every pickney," said one of the males.
He explained that it would be highly unlikely for a child to be left alone and burnt to death in his community because, "Dat would a only happen inna some place wey nuh baddy nuh business wid nuh baddy," he said in reference to the recent deaths of two children who were burnt to death in their home on Shelly Avenue in Duhaney Park.
When asked about the CCPA, the man said that they did not deal with laws in his community but usually investigated a matter of neglect or abuse themselves.
"Dis is the system; wi don't deal with the law. Wi deal wid it wi self," he said.
