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In search of good fathers
published: Friday | November 10, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody>
Heather Robinson
Many sociologists, police officers, politicians and other members of the Jamaican society believe that the absence of caring fathers is one of the main contributing reasons for male delinquency in the youth population. They believe that these young boys who have no 'proper' fathers as role models are easily misled and directed into bad company, which usually means criminal company. Many of our young boys have never had the privilege of living in the same house with their fathers, and there are others who have never met their fathers.
There are many stories that can be told about boys who have fallen victim to criminal influence and who end up as dead victims of their own colleagues or that of the police. Today, I want to tell you three stories. One is about a teenage girl, and the other two are about two teenage boys.
Interest
Imagine that the police are conducting a major police operation in an inner- city community in search of young males who are suspects in a case of multiple murders. While doing house-to-house searches, the officer in charge of the operation enters a yard and is approached by a man who asks to speak to him in private. The officer gets very excited, as he now believes he is about to get some intelligence on the very men for whom they are searching. Instead of giving police intelligence, the man identifies himself as the father of several children in the yard, including a teenage girl who is peeping through a window.
The father asks the police officer if he can help him to get his daughter a skill, as she has recently graduated from high school with several CXCs. The officer is disappointed that he is not being given 'intelligence', but quickly gives the father his telephone number, and makes a promise to help his daughter. This story has a happy ending. The daughter is admitted into a government-run institution, has completed successfully the course of study and is now being assigned to work experience.
During the many months of training, the father constantly updated the police officer, and the daughter also called him to inform him of her progress. Congratulations to two good fathers.
I met a teenage boy some five years ago after he had been shot in the leg. He was later charged for murder and was found not guilty by the court. I spoke to him on the telephone and sometimes he visited me and I assisted him whenever I could. He was killed by the police in a shoot-out, and was wanted for one of the most heinous murders ever committed. He never spoke about a father or mother to me and I often wonder if his life would have been different had he had a 'real father'.
Persistence
My last story is about a father from another violence-plagued community who was desperate to get his teenage son a job, to get him out of the community and the negative influences that can predominate. This father was successful in getting his son employed. He recently told his employer how concerned he is that he knows so many persons his own age who have been killed, but was glad that he has a job that takes him out of the community and is able to continue his education.
Persistence on the part of parents is desirable for children to be successful. Going that extra mile on the part of some fathers is to be encouraged, and anything you can do to assist these fathers will be appreciated now, and in the future, Jamaica can and will be a better place.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament. </DIV>
published: Friday | November 10, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody>
Heather Robinson
Many sociologists, police officers, politicians and other members of the Jamaican society believe that the absence of caring fathers is one of the main contributing reasons for male delinquency in the youth population. They believe that these young boys who have no 'proper' fathers as role models are easily misled and directed into bad company, which usually means criminal company. Many of our young boys have never had the privilege of living in the same house with their fathers, and there are others who have never met their fathers.
There are many stories that can be told about boys who have fallen victim to criminal influence and who end up as dead victims of their own colleagues or that of the police. Today, I want to tell you three stories. One is about a teenage girl, and the other two are about two teenage boys.
Interest
Imagine that the police are conducting a major police operation in an inner- city community in search of young males who are suspects in a case of multiple murders. While doing house-to-house searches, the officer in charge of the operation enters a yard and is approached by a man who asks to speak to him in private. The officer gets very excited, as he now believes he is about to get some intelligence on the very men for whom they are searching. Instead of giving police intelligence, the man identifies himself as the father of several children in the yard, including a teenage girl who is peeping through a window.
The father asks the police officer if he can help him to get his daughter a skill, as she has recently graduated from high school with several CXCs. The officer is disappointed that he is not being given 'intelligence', but quickly gives the father his telephone number, and makes a promise to help his daughter. This story has a happy ending. The daughter is admitted into a government-run institution, has completed successfully the course of study and is now being assigned to work experience.
During the many months of training, the father constantly updated the police officer, and the daughter also called him to inform him of her progress. Congratulations to two good fathers.
I met a teenage boy some five years ago after he had been shot in the leg. He was later charged for murder and was found not guilty by the court. I spoke to him on the telephone and sometimes he visited me and I assisted him whenever I could. He was killed by the police in a shoot-out, and was wanted for one of the most heinous murders ever committed. He never spoke about a father or mother to me and I often wonder if his life would have been different had he had a 'real father'.
Persistence
My last story is about a father from another violence-plagued community who was desperate to get his teenage son a job, to get him out of the community and the negative influences that can predominate. This father was successful in getting his son employed. He recently told his employer how concerned he is that he knows so many persons his own age who have been killed, but was glad that he has a job that takes him out of the community and is able to continue his education.
Persistence on the part of parents is desirable for children to be successful. Going that extra mile on the part of some fathers is to be encouraged, and anything you can do to assist these fathers will be appreciated now, and in the future, Jamaica can and will be a better place.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament. </DIV>
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