Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (third left) greets Natalia Surgeon of Jessie Rippoll, who along with Elias Asher (left) of St Hugh's Prep topped the CDA Family is Love poster competition for students aged 6-12. The prime minister was guest speaker of yesterday's launch of the exhibition and awards ceremony at the 4-H Clubs headquarters in Kingston. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller says the major problems plaguing Jamaica, particularly crime and violence, have resulted from a lack of emphasis on healthy family life.

The prime minister, who was speaking at yesterday's launch of the Family is Love Exhibition and Awards, put on by the Child Development Agency (CDA) at the 4-H Clubs headquarters in Kingston, said that in order to rid Jamaica of crime and boost the economy, citizens must cultivate healthy relationships among adults and children in communities islandwide.

"The importance of family life cannot be over-emphasised. Indeed, I feel very passionately that we are not giving this issue the attention we ought to in Jamaica. We have to do something about our family life if we are going to fix the crime problem in Jamaica," Simpson Miller said.

She said that crime-fighting was not only about tackling the security issues but also about attacking the problem from the family and community levels, arguing that the "brutality and viciousness" of some of our murders have their roots in dysfunctional family-life patterns.

"Some (persons) have been 'drugged' by a life without love. A life devoid of compassion, caring and empathy. They have become brutal and harsh because of those conditions in which they were brought up. Do you think it is easy to grow up caring about people and having compassion when you never received it when you were growing up?"

The prime minister cited a recent study by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), which found that less than half of parents and caregivers talk to their children about moral issues and that housework was what is most frequently shared between parent and child.

"If less than half of our parents and caregivers are giving them (the children) that strong moral foundation which would prepare them for life, then how can we expect Jamaica to be a quality society?" asked the prime minister.

She added: "We need to understand that with all the talk about the need to increase foreign investments and production, lower interest rates, reduce the debt and maintain competitive exchange rate, if we don't pay attention to the quality of our family life and structure, any gains made in the macro economy will be wiped out. Strong nations are built by strong families."

She told the ceremony that under her leadership the crisis facing family life in Jamaica would receive priority attention.
In the meantime, Simpson Miller lauded the CDA for its promotion of foster care in Jamaica to encourage greater at-home care for children rather than institutional care, and called on more responsible Jamaican adults to participate in the foster care programme.

She also congratulated primary and prep school students who topped the CDA Family is Love poster competition for students aged 6-12.

Elias Asher of St Hugh's Prep and Natalia Surgeon of Jessie Rippoll Primary - both 10 years old - tied for first place and took home certificates and cash prizes. Runners-up also received cash awards and certificates.

A posthumous award was also presented to eight year-old Brittani Foster, who finished in the top 20. The award was collected by her parents. A moment of silence was observed for her earlier in the programme for Brittani, who died earlier this month in a freak car accident.

CEO of the Child Development Agency Alison Anderson said the contest was put on to heighten the children's awareness and understanding of family life and formed part of the national drive to promote foster care.

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