JOB Walters, father of current World Boxing Association (WBA) Featherweight Champion Nicholas Walters, has called on fathers to guide and nurture the development of their children.

Walters said he had stood by his son through hard times and helped him to become a world champion.

"Fathers, stand up strong for your kids. I am a dad here, feeling proud, it should be more fathers, it should be more dads out there, giving the testimony like what I can say right now," he said while speaking at a civic ceremony held last Thursday in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, where the champion was honoured by the St James Parish Council and presented with the Key to the City of Montego Bay.

"It is not easy. We all leave it on mom, and what happen to the dads? I did it out of nothing, pressure caught me so much. I am coming from the lowest level, but I stood there, and I said 'boy we got to get there"," said the senior Walters who also coaches his son.

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Sports Natalie Neita-Headley, who was the guest speaker at the ceremony, said that she was moved by Walters' commitment and guidance. She said other fathers should exemplify that dedication to fatherhood and help their children to be as successful as possible.

"The Parenting Commission should be looking at someone like Job Walters to spread the kind of word to ensure that other fathers recognise the importance of having that kind of guidance and leadership from a parent, especially a father. Females do need their fathers, but the kind of marginalised situation that we have seen with our young boys, we believe that if we had far more active fathers it would reduce the kind of criminal and anti-social behavior that we are experiencing," she stated.

Meanwhile, head of the Police Area One Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Devon Watkis said with fathers like Walters, the police's efforts to reduce crime would be less difficult.

"I want to be aligned with that statement, (that) the father role in a child's life is important especially in the life of the male child," he said, and encouraged all Jamaican men to ensure that they play an integral role in their children's lives.

— JIS