Betty Ann Blaine, Contributor
THE TRAGIC deaths of two small boys and their 12-year-old sister, mowed down by a motor car this past Monday in St. Thomas, brings to the fore once again the vulnerability of our country's children. The picture is grim and shameful, and is an indictment on the entire nation.
It is clear to me that the persons bearing the brunt of violence, poverty, negligence, indifference and abuse, are our children, and, yet after every tragedy, we move on to a new day, to business as usual, and the kind of public outcry one would expect, is virtually non-existent.
I keep hearing that what Jamaicans are experiencing is a general numbness that manifests itself in a state of inertia. If this is so, then our children are really in trouble. Who then is going to protect and defend them, and how will their lot be improved?
What is particularly vexing to me is that many of these tragedies could have been prevented, if only the citizens and the state were truly committed to putting children first.
How is it that we allow scores of children to die each year from road accidents, fires and other calamities, when there are preventable measures that can be taken?
One of the remedies I have been calling for in this and other forums, is for the Government to use its available communications resources to embark on a national public education campaign about safety measures for children.
This campaign written and produced specifically for children, would provide practical tips on how they can protect themselves from fires, road accidents and sexual violence.
Basic information about walking in groups, not walking in dark or deserted areas; avoiding candles and matches, walking away from curbs and crossing streets carefully, are all tips that can save the lives of children.
DRACONIAN MEASURES
As far as our roads are concerned, it is high time that the Government takes draconian measures to curb and prevent reckless and dangerous driving.
We already know the profile of these drivers. Typically, they are young men moving in very fast "souped-up" cars, taxi drivers plying specific routes, and mini-buses. A public education campaign about responsible driving, targeted to this group, is now a priority.
In addition, the heavy hand of the law must be brought to bear on these individuals. Suspension and revocation of driver's licences, impoundment of vehicles for significant sums of money, and mandatory re-training and community service, should all be part of the punishment required to stamp out this type of recklessness and indiscipline.
I'm not sure what is preventing the Government from being decisive on certain issues, knowing full well that it would have the support of most Jamaicans who want to see more discipline on our roads.
Driving in Jamaica is hazardous to one's health and well-being, and something has to be done about this.
Rules of the road are broken with absolute impunity, many times in full view of the police, and yet with no consequences. I have personally seen vehicles moving at mega speeds behind and beside police cars, with no one being stopped or apprehended. There are certain strips of roads, usually the ones that are newly paved, where the speedsters simply "fly", and yet you never see police patrols in these areas.
What doesn't make any sense to me is to see police spot checks in the same places all the time usually under specific shade trees. What's the point of this when everybody knows when and where they will be?
The only way to begin enforcing discipline on the roads is to begin doing it, and every infraction, however minor, must be dealt with. The problem is that people are not fearful of breaking the law, since usually there are no consequences. This is dangerous and is essentially the makings of an anarchical society.
Within the prevailing climate, the persons who are the weakest our children are the ones that are most at risk, and without stringent laws, clear policies and guidelines, and determined commitment, their lives will continue to be worth very little.
What is lacking in Jamaica is an understanding and an agreement of the worth and value of our children. In other words, it must be clear that we put children first.
Indifference and ineptitude toward our children, send a message throughout the society that it is okay for them to be mistreated and abused.
While parents, families and communities are important players in all of this, we must also appreciate the realities of the country in which we live. In many circumstances and in many communities, parents are simply unable to protect their own children.
RE-DEFINING PARENTHOOD
The reality too, is that we are now literally forced to re-define who a parent is. The rapidly growing number of teenage mothers and fathers will have to be taught what it means to be a parent. The hard fact is that in the interim, it is the state and ourselves as citizens, that will have to find effective ways to protect the nation's children.
Jamaica is sliding down a slippery slope as far as our children are concerned. You know that this is so when the United Nations, which always does its homework thoroughly, and is usually cautious about making statements that would be detrimental to governments, has now placed us on the list of countries that are in violation of specific standards set for the welfare and well-being of children. This could not be more embarrassing.
Instead of being defensive, however, we should take the opportunity to "dig deep", and to strengthen our resolve about rescuing and protecting the weakest amongst us. If we truly believe that children are our most valuable resource, then let's treat them like we mean it.
Betty Ann Blaine is a member of The Victorious Movement of Jesus in Jamaica, an historian and founder of Youth Opportunities Unlimited. E-mail:bab2609@hotmail.com.
