Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Beryl Weir, head of the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

She was a teenage mother who got pregnant at age 19. Today, Beryl Weir, executive director of the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation (WCJF), sits at the helm of the institution which assists teenage mothers and helps them make a smooth transition back into the education system.

Some 1,500 girls, 17 years and under, who become pregnant while attending school, are referred to a main centre or outreach station by teachers, counsellors and other agencies.

Mrs. Weir, the woman-in-charge of the institution which was established in 1978, spoke candidly with The Gleaner recently about her role and responsibilities as executive director, as well as other aspects of her life.

"I was not put here just to sit in a chair as executive director and look pretty and have a status. My objective is to ensure that as many as possible of the pregnant girls out there know about this programme and are getting the opportunity to get in the programme," she said.

Pre-trained teacher

The seventh of 10 children, she was born in the small district of Garden Hill in St. Catherine, where she attended the Garden Hill Elementary School and sat the Jamaica Local Examinations. She then did pre-trained teaching for about two years.

But teaching was not the thing for Mrs. Weir, as she wanted to become a nurse. So, she joined the Kingston Public Hospital where she did the apprenticeship training in 1966.

"That was a very good experience. I loved nursing," she said, while relaxing in her chair at the WCJF offices in St. Andrew.

Mrs. Weir wanted to do midwifery, but the waiting period to get into that programme in Jamaica was too long, so she went to Scotland where she studied midwifery at the Vale of Leven Maternity Hospital.

Going to the United Kingdom was also a way for her to reunite with her father who had migrated there a few years before.

"My father had a great influence on our lives. He always told his daughters to ensure that they have some way of earning their own living so they are not dependent on men and that has motivated us to do whatever we chose to do," she said.

Upon completing her studies, Mrs. Weir worked in England as a school nurse and a midwife. That was where she also met her husband.

The mother of two returned to Jamaica in 1981 and was employed to the Spanish Town Hospital.

Worked in counselling

Mrs. Weir said she realised that she could influence people's lives through nursing. Given that family planning was a part of her training when she was in England, she later joined the staff of the National Family Planning Board after she left the Spanish Town Hospital.

She worked in the Marge Roper Counselling Programme for four and a half years and that was where her relationship with the Women's Centre began, as she visited there and counselled the girls about fertility management.

Mrs. Weir said she was impressed with the programme which was available in Jamaica. She pointed out that there was a programme in England where girls would be removed from their homes and get an apartment where they are probably supervised by a social worker.

"I did not like how the Social Services approached the problem. Because that girl feels like a big woman because she has money to spend, she is on her own and there is no contraceptive which is offered to her because she is underage and she, therefore, gets pregnant again," she said.

"And when I came to the Women's Centre and I saw this programme, I said, 'My God, what an excellent idea', because the concept of ensuring that the girl stays at home with the family and comes to the centre on a daily basis as if she was going to school was good," she added.

Moved through ranks

Mrs. Weir joined the Women's Centre in 1987 and worked her way through the ranks. She was outreach counsellor, regional manager and programme coordinator. In 2001 when the executive director resigned, Mrs. Weir assumed the position.

"It's a challenge, but I felt that it was one I could take on. If I do my own self-assessment, I will tell you that I think I am doing well and I have done well," said a proud Mrs. Weir.

She added: "If you know anything about supervision, you know that human beings are the hardest to supervise. They are humans, you have to listen to their problems, you have to try and be fair and non-judgmental."

The executive director said one of the challenges with the programme is that the fathers are not responding as they used to, because of a fear of being penalised.

She said she was also concerned about the young men who are the same age as the girls.

"As as far as the older men are concerned, I don't care what you do with the key when you lock them up, because they are supposed to know better. You are an adult and you are far older than her," she said candidly.

Rural dwellers need info

While teenage pregnancy is not unique to Jamaica, Mrs. Weir said the information is not reaching enough people.

She noted that if we are to combat the problem, the programme will have to reach persons in the rural parts of Jamaica and more information has to be made available to young people.

"It is how we are disseminating the information that we have about sexual and reproductive health. For young persons who need information in a non-judgmental atmosphere, we hardly have anywhere that young persons can go and seek information," she said.

Mrs. Weir says she has no regrets about taking on the mantle of executive director of the august institution.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com