KINGSTON, Jamaica — Help JA Children (HJC) has called for Carla Francis-Edie, head of the Child Development Agency (CDA), to resign. 

The call was issued yesterday at a press conference held at the Altamont Court hotel in Kingston.

Speaking at the event, chairman of HJC’s parenting and policy committee Ricardo Brooks pointed to the deafening silence from the CDA with regards to children in conflict with the law.

He said the organisation is yet to respond to a joint request from HJC and lobby group Jamaicans For Justice for the agency to clarify its role in the administration of youth justice. The unanswered request has been sent to the CDA multiple times, most recently on September 5, he said.

“Up to the time of this press conference we have not received a response. We are further concerned about the glaring contradictions presented by the CDA in the execution of its mandate. The CDA certainly scores high marks in the rhetoric game, but this rhetoric has no basis in fact,” Brooks said, pointing to claims made on the CDA’s revamped website.

Among other things, the CDA says it provides support to children in need of care and protection (those who have been abused, abandoned, neglected or are vulnerable due to disability) and is a regional leader in child care and protection.

In contradicting these claims, Brooks revealed that roughly 50% of children are institutionalised for non-violent offences and a troubling 68% of children in conflict with the law have had no form of legal representation. 

“We find these statistics to be in direct opposition to the colorful rhetoric posted to the CDA’s website. How can an agency which claims to be a regional leader in child care and protection be so slow to act while children languish in unfit prisons? This is not only in open violation of international standards and best practices, but is also in violation of our own local laws, including the Child Care and Protection Act,” Brooks commented.

He also pointed out that as of September 9, 2012, some 33 children are being housed in police lockups; that on average children are placed in a police lockup five times per day; and since January 2012, over 150 children have spent at least two days in a police lockup for being deemed uncontrollable or in need of care and protection.

“If current statistics are to be taken seriously, and we believe they are, the CDA has failed Jamaica’s children. As a consequence of this, Help JA Children hereby calls for Mrs Carla Francis Edie to resign as CEO of the Child Development Agency and make way for new leadership in the ongoing quest to adequately protect and care for our nation’s most vulnerable children. The time for rhetoric, cabinet submissions and lengthy debates has long passed. We need to start demonstrating our respect for the dignity of Jamaica’s children,” Brooks remarked.