The Editor, Sir:

I have shed many tears for the children of Jamaica. My heart bleeds for those children whose mothers and fathers have been torn away from them by the wicked hands of crime. For those whose innocent lives have been snuffed out in one way or another, I cry.

I am tormented by the fact that so many children do not have the privilege of sleeping at home each night, in their own cosy beds, with their own loving families.

All they have are institutions - places where people are paid to look after them, where no matter how many old structures are torn down and new ones erected for their comfort and safety, something will always be missing ... things are just not the same for these children.

Your letter of the day, 'Confessions of a contributor to child delinquency', published on December 27, 2006, spurred me to pen my own letter because I too feel guilty, but for a different reason. I am guilty of seeing things from a narrow and misguided perspective. For all these years, I was one of those who beat up on 'the system' (Government), complaining of its failure to provide the necessary resources to transform children's homes.

Now, I realise that the solution is not merely in the various policies and programmes that have been implemented or are to come. There is a much bigger challenge, the mother of all problems, the mindset of those who are entrusted with the care of children living in children's homes. How are we to legislate love and compassion?

Fooling ourselves

We must be fooling ourselves to think that the situation in children's homes will ever be perfect. Let's face it, children's homes are an imperfect solution.

I, therefore, want to propose that all children's homes in Jamaica be abolished. Put those children back into the community ... into families where they belong and let's focus on boosting the support given to parents so that they can raise better families.

I think we need to look more closely at correcting the family and the socio-economic issues that are tearing away at the social fabric of this country which caused us, in the first place, to create these imperfect solutions.

I think the Child Development Agency has been trying to say this for some time now. Why don't we listen?

I am, etc.,

NICKADIAN AMOS

amos_nap@yahoo.com

28 Wyatt Scheme

Seaforth, St. Thomas

Via Go-Jamaica