Caribbean News

Jamaicans welcome children into their homes for Christmas

Published

5 years ago

November 27, 2018

#Kingston, November 27, 2018 – Jamaica – In 2016, Trudy Dixon Frith and her family opened their home to a 14-year-old female ward of the State in response to a call by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) for Jamaicans to ‘Take a Child Home for Christmas’.

She tells JIS News that the experience was life-changing and one she will never forget.

“As a family we always wanted to give back, to show kindness, so this experience has definitely changed our lives for the better. What should have been a one week experience was extended to three weeks,” she tells JIS News.

“She changed our views on a lot of things. I know we affected her but I think she affected us more,” she adds.

The mother of two, who is pregnant with her third child, says “this is something I will definitely do again.” Roxanne McKnight, who took a child into her home last year, tells JIS News that she heard about the programme on the radio and thought that it would be good place to start the process to adopt.

“I plan is to do it this year again and hope I get the same child, who was a three-year- old boy. I highly recommend this programme to everybody, for them to open their homes to a child and use it as a first step to fostering or adopting a child,” she tells JIS News.

The CPFSA’s ‘Take a Child Home for Christmas’ programme was originally created to encourage families with children in State care, but were unable to accommodate them full time, to take them home for the holiday period.

However, over time it was extended to persons with good moral standing, for example persons, who have volunteered in childcare facilities and would be in the Agency’s volunteer database.

Director of the CPFSA South East Region, Robert Williams, tells JIS News that the objective is to enable a child, who is normally in a residential facility to have the opportunity to spend the Christmas with a family.

“A lot of Jamaicans have been opening their heart and homes to these children,” he says.

Persons, who are interested in participating in the programme are required to fill out an application form; provide two references from a notary public such as a police officer, justice of the peace or a school principal; provide two passport-size photographs and a valid identification; and must be 25 years old or older.

“They must be a Jamaican, have no history of child abuse, be able to accommodate the child safely in their home and be willing to have the CPFSA officers come into your home and do an assessment of your surroundings,” Mr. Williams explains.

“This is a short-term residential programme. We must ensure that the person we are placing the children with is somebody, who will not bring any harm to the child, and have the best interest of the child at heart and so we have to do background checks to ensure that the applicants are of upstanding,” he adds.

Mr. Williams says the CPFSA has had repeat applicants and so far this year they have been receiving submissions from as early as October.

“The support for the programme for the past three years has been very overwhelming; we are satisfied with the response. The persons, who have expressed interest, are those who are in a position to ensure that these children have a very enjoyable time during this period,” he says.

For further information, interested persons may visit any of the CPFSA regional offices (formerly the Child Development Agency) across the island. They can also call the CPFSA head office at 876-948-2841-2 or email info@childprotection.gov.jm. The deadline for the submission of applications is Friday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m.

Release: JIS

Contact: Judith A. Hunter

Photo Caption: Director of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) South East Region, Robert Williams

Caribbean News

CARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva

Published

1 hour ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer

Words are in circulation in support for the establishment of an international tribunal, geared towards seeking reparations for centuries long transatlantic slave trade, after a CARICOM official made calls at the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

During day two of the gathering held from April 16 to 19, 2024, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, stated there is a need for the tribunal as there is currently no international court to deal with the issues of reparations.

Commision, like the other members that support his view, according to reports, are aware this won’t be an easy feat, as he expressed that establishing the tribunal would require a “positive decision” by the UN General Assembly, further calling on the officials at the Forum and the UN, to come together through international collaboration and “make this happen.”

The idea creation of the tribunal was born last year 2023, suggested by the PFPAD, now reiterated by Comissiong.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in a video, addressing the opening of the forum, supported the ongoing calls for respiratory efforts, a sentiment not shared by many.

Mentioning that racism is still an issue in today’s society, Guterres said, “ now we must build on that momentum, to drive meaningful change by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, including through reparations.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy

Published

2 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Caribbean News

Gov’t Committed to Seeking Reparations for Chattel Slavery – Minister Grange

Published

2 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

KINGSTON, April 16 (JIS):

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican Government remains committed to seeking reparations for the prolonged period of chattel enslavement endured by the African forefathers on the country’s plantations.

Minister Grange said that the historical events of the transatlantic slave trade continue to have a lasting impact on Black communities to this day.

She contended that the ongoing struggles to finance education and healthcare, address poverty and housing issues, respond to economic shocks and climate change impacts, and foster peaceful societies are all rooted in the historical legacy of enslavement.

Minister Grange was addressing a church service on Sunday (April 14) at the Webster Memorial United Church in St. Andrew, where an apology was issued on behalf of the United Reform Church (URC) in the United Kingdom (UK) by Moderator of the Assembly of the URC, Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson, for the church’s historical involvement in slavery.

“We, the general assembly of the United Reform Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars which continue to blight our society, our church and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today,” the apology read.

Minister Grange, in accepting the apology, urged UK churches, particularly those whose representatives were present for the historic apology in Jamaica, to communicate to their government the ethical imperative of admitting culpability through an apology and working with Jamaica to discern the potential avenues for reparations.

She said that the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade has had significant and enduring effects on Black communities, impacting society, the church itself, and the lives of Black individuals worldwide.

“It is this complicity of the church that gave solace and comfort to the citizens and governments of UK and Europe as they endorsed and defended with their military project, that saw the capture, the torture, the dehumanisation, and devaluation of African people, legacies of which we experience today as racism, white supremacy, and discrimination,” she stated.

“We struggle to build peaceful, stable societies because of the perpetration of violence which was the platform on which enslavement was executed yet, in spite of this, we have been good converts to these same religions. Our people have adopted and adapted the doctrines and rituals of these new religions and in many instances have energised and revitalised them with cultural practices of African spirituality,” the Minister emphasised.

The URC is a community of Christians gathering in local churches across England, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of the global family of Reformed Churches, comprising more than 70 million Christians.

With approximately 42,000 members in around 1,200 congregations, supported by more than 600 ministers, the URC plays a significant role in the spiritual and communal life of its members and the broader community.

CONTACT: BRITNEY STEVENS