Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Parents better equipped to raise their children
#Kingston, October 12, 2018 – Jamaica – Parents in several communities across the island are now better equipped to discipline their children without using coercive practices, often characterised by hostility and derision. This was facilitated under a parenting education programme 
implemented by the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III through collaboration with the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC).
A total of 250 parents and community parent trainers (CPTs) graduated from the programme during a ceremony held at the Spanish Court Hotel on Wednesday, October 10.
Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, in his address at the ceremony, hailed the CSJP III and the NPSC for the initiative, which he said seeks to bring order and a positive framework to “one of the most critical occupations in society”. He urged parents to desist from using corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool and noted that he is happy that the CSJP’s programme aims to support parents in identifying alternative practices.
“We are human; we get frustrated. You can get angry, and sometimes you expect the child to understand, but they too are feeling your frustration, and it’s a matter of how you respond. You are to engage them emotionally, to share any moment of frustration in a way that they know that you care about them, that you love them and your objective is to [uplift them],” he pointed out.
Dr. Chang argued that changing the style of parenting to one that is focused on care, love and understanding will help to reduce violence in the society. “Give the children a sense of self-worth and self-respect,” he added.
CSJP Programme Manager, Simeon Robinson, in her remarks urged the graduates to be ambassadors for effective parenting within their communities. He further challenged them to bring at least one other parent from their communities into the programme.
The parenting education programme, conducted from November 2017 to June 2018, aimed to hone the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to raise children with the aptitude to resist violent and antisocial behaviours.
The first phase started with the training of 112 CPTs, who provided one-on-one in-home intensive coaching for the parents engaged. Phase two of the initiative saw 50 of the CPTs assigned to 166 families. After some 4,140 home visits, 138 parents completed the programme.
Release: JIS
Contact: Denise Dennis
Photo Captions:
Header: Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (second right), interacts with (from left) Alexia Gordon, Kathleen Thomas-Douse and Monifa Findlay at the graduation exercise for the Citizen Security and Justice Programme’s (CSJP III) parenting education initiative, held on October 10 at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
Insert: Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, greets Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Laurie Peters, during the graduation exercise for the Citizen Security and Justice Programme’s (CSJP III) parenting education initiative, held on October 10 at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
Photos: Rudranath Fraser
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
-
TCI News1 week agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Ministry of Tourism explore development of Cruise industry at Seatrade Global Cruise Conference
-
Latin America and Caribbean6 days agoRegional SDGs Update
-
Crime7 days agoFollowing Court ruling, US Embassy Doubles Down on Warning: DO NOT TRAVEL TO TCI WITH GUNS, AMMO
-
Bahamas News7 days agoEnvironment State-Minister updates ‘Our Ocean’ forum on The Bahamas as SIDS leader in sustainable tourism
-
Caribbean News1 week agoU.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHINES AS A PREMIER DESTINATION AT THE 2024 SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL CONFERENCE
-
Bahamas News5 days agoPacesetting Cohort of Eleuthera Residents Graduate from Leading Light Programme
-
Caribbean News7 days agoRBC appoints new Head of Caribbean Banking
-
Bahamas News6 days agoNassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security