Youth and Culture Minister, Lisa Hanna, is again warning people who persistently abuse minors, to desist or face harsh penalties for these offences.
She repeated the call in the wake of recent reports surfacing of children losing their lives or suffering persistent abuse at the hands of adults, islandwide.
“We are sending a very strong signal to those persons in our society who continue to hurt our children. We will come and find you. We will make sure that…the full weight of the law comes down, not only on your head, but on those heads who do not report that a child is being hurt,” Hanna warned.
Hanna was speaking at the inaugural National Exiting Care Career Information Fair and Exposition at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Kingston yesterday.
She said that, as a nation, “we have to take this matter of child protection seriously, so that all [children] can grow up to [fulfil their potential and make meaningful contributions to Jamaica and the world]”.
For her part, chief executive officer, Child Development Agency (CDA), Rosalee Gage Grey also called on members of society to play their part in ensuring that the welfare of the nation’s children is protected.
She assured that the CDA is and will remain resolute in providing care and protection for Jamaica’s children.
Lisa, word is wind. We want see ACTION, not a bag – a – mouth!
Maybe you want to say that to the mothers and fathers of these at-risk children. It is not Government role to raise your kids. I suspect you have an issue with Lisa on many different levels, Right?
Wait! What! Where is your logic though? I agree with fedup. What does action not a bag ah mouth have to do with liking Ms. Hanna? Jamaican politicians are known for saying and making comments and not following through with them. The government’s role is to protect our children of Jamaica. So yes “action action not ah bag ah mout”… children should not grow up in fear neither should parents have to shelter their children to an extent that they do not get to enjoy their childhood. New laws need to be created and some old laws need to be reinstated. It is my sincere hope that Ms. Hanna will follow through on her words and make a difference where it really counts.
How you know she doesn’t like Lisa? Yuh fi gweh and stop jump to conclusion. I am glad that Lisa is speaking out against it but the police and the community has to do their part in order for change.
Anonymous @ on March 13, 2015 at 10:56am
What NEW laws do we need or old law that need to be re-instated to protect our children. Parents primary role is to protect their children and you can pass laws ad infinitum, that will not protect a single child, unless we can identify, arrest and successful prosecute the perpetrators/lawbreakers. Keep relying on Government/Politician for protection. We have good laws in place to prosecute murderers, ye we continue to have over 1,000 murders per year. How is the existence of these laws helping to stem the high murder rate?
Mothers and fathers are abandoning their kids to seek employment outside of Jamaica and leaving their children to be looked after by relatives and even friends and when things goes wrong we want to blame it on Government/Politicians. Were they there when you and your ilk were making these babies? My guess is you have been conditioned to believe that all things are possible when it is put in the hands of politicians or government. I can’t blame or fault you, you are just a product of your environment.
My mother had amble opportunity to migrate when we were kids, yet she made the conscious decision NOT to leave her three young children in the care of my Grandmother or other relatives. This was her choice and other choose to make diabolically different choices. How does new laws/GOJ/Politician protect you from enemies from within, as in a lot of cases, it is a family member or close friend of the family that is the abuser of our children
Maybe, just maybe, it is your logic that needs fine-tuning.
Well great that your mother did not “run wey” to the states and leave you in the care of a family member. I’m simply saying that government has a DUTY to protect its citizens and that includes our children. This isnt only about family members molesting children in the family. There are children in boys and girls homes who get molested daily, (what did the government recently di yo the boys home?), taking a packed bus to get home early from school and a pervert stands behind a child to rub themselves on them. I can go on and on. It’s a mindset that had to addressed. Because a child is experiencing puberty does not give anyone the right to violate them. Serving 40years and getting psychiatric help in prison for raping an 8yr old and her family is by no means justice. As constantly spoken on this site hanging needs to be a law reinstated in Jamaica as to show the extreme measures our country takes in children being raped and brutally murdered. Another is the public registry for these offenders. There is no public registry website in Jamaica and that needs to be corrected. There should be no exceptions to being registered if you are an offender. I can go on and on…
She sounds like one of those haughty bitches bout her mother didn’t left her to go to another land. Well a lot of people had to because that was there only way out of the garrison or their poverty. No one is blaming the government for the situation in the country, we only trying to call for more help from them. The government was so quick to assist the gay men and protect them but we can’t see the same effort towards the children in the country. It seems gay men are more important than young children in Jamaica. Sometimes I feel like it is a new country, not the same place I was born and raised. The morals have vanished, the mindset of the people has changed and everything just seems brand new. They don’t register sex offenders and they are not checked when seeking a place, job, or anything in society. In America, you can’t even live in some communities if your are a sex offender, and MOST employer will not hire you at their company.
They DO register Sex Offenders in Jamaica. Started almost a year ago. How come you did not know this, given you know it all attitude?
……haughty bitches? Is this consistent with you perception of what Jamaica should be now or is this traits you brought over from your old Jamaican Lifestyle? :thumbup
Just stop it! Jamaica does not have a website listing sex offenders. There is too much inconsistency nod you are indeed playing blind eye. The inconsistent reporting of records that they keep is a big problem. If you think some data base that they list just a few offenders which are only those who commit murder after the act of rape is enough then we are seriously doomed as a nation. ALL need to be reported and made available for the citizens view. I won’t address anymore of your arrogance as this issue is quite serious and has no room for your arrogance.
Poor yuh, you must be on the government’s payroll. You and the Jamaican government a poppy show. Atleast America is a huge country with a lot of problems, but Jamaica is a little dot with a world issues. So much unsolved crimes all over the island, poverty, and many more issues. All you’ll care about is raising tax and brainwashing the poor. Bout they register sex offenders! Bitch please to have a seat! Why when them get filed for they have something name police record and they erase the record before they enter a next country. They not even give they sex offenders the right punishment they deserve. A thirty year and those sentence man a get a foreign to rape children so I don’t understand how Jamaica a give these nasty men months in jail. What you’ll think they going to come out and change? Girl or Birl, bye!
Well, I hope this is not mere rhetoric. Something’s gotta be done and beginning now.
MET really and truly we need to have some issues for the new year that we as the ppl should be against and what we as the ppl will do to protect and inforced the law. Not just to have a topic but what we can do, how to do it, where to go, and what the outcome is. MET we all know the internet gave Gully Bop his start and we follow him . Now we need to there a problem, a crime etc. find out who can help and who has the clue to what happen and take it to the right person to solve it. Make that person who has the power to solve it accounability even if it takes years. I believe one video you have with the police killing the man is a great and easily start. Met I am sure you have many different professional groupies on here even if a student they can help. The criminal can come confess, the informer can run in, the lawyer can give advises, the priest can pray for them, the psycologist can tell advise.