Over the past week, we have received reports from UNICEF Jamaica and the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) on the distressing situation of violence against children and against women. When we reflect on the horror stories of children suffering physical and psychological violence, we need to remember that this trauma can result in dangerous behaviour in adulthood. One male abuser of women confessed to a counsellor that he was taking revenge on the beatings he got from a guardian. Others become loving parents, careful that their children will never suffer the same fate.

The enactment of the Child Safety and Protection Act in 2004 was a Godsend for our children. Not only does it have strong penalties for child abuse, but also it holds people who do not report incidents of child abuse liable for prosecution.

Among the 12 recommendations from UNICEF are:

• adopt and implement legislation that bans corporal punishment of children in all settings (under age 18);

• strengthen legislation that limits children’s and adolescent’s access to firearms and other weapons;

• strengthen and expand parents and caregiver programmes to reduce violence, abuse, and neglect of children and adolescents;

• strengthen and expand school-based prevention programmes

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), November 25, was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1999. The date was chosen to commemorate the assassination of the Mirabel sisters in Santo Domingo on November 25, 1960 because of their activism for women’s rights against the dictator, Rafael Trujillo.

Last Thursday, JASL launched its EU-funded project titled ‘Promoting Human Rights & Access to Justice for Priority Populations in Jamaica’. Today they will host a silent march from Police Officers’ Club to Half-Way-Tree Transportation Centre to mark IDEVAW.

In Alecia Smith’s Jamaica Observer report, she noted that the police received some 8,000 reports of domestic violence in 2022. Over the past two years Jamaica has been shocked by cases of domestic violence in which women and children have lost their lives. On a visit to a women’s shelter we saw intelligent women and their children hiding away from monstrous partners and fathers.

It is not easy to shake oneself from a murderous partner. One woman who was abused by a now deceased ‘don’ planned to run away after he broke her arm and she was hospitalised. Her relatives collected her at the hospital and spirited her away to a deep-rural area where they thought she would never be found… until a convoy of luxury cars snaked through the area and she was snatched away, back to her life of misery. When the news came that he had been killed she ran out of the house with not one piece of luggage, finally free to be reunited with her family. We have no idea how many women are right now in comparable situations.

The calls by UNICEF and JASL should move us to observe and act in our communities, schools, and workplaces. Our churches also provide a safe space to make such reports. Let us redouble our efforts to eliminate this monster of violence from the lives of our children and women.

ARTHUR HALL’S APPEAL

I joined fellow media veterans last Wednesday to celebrate new entrants to our space of unbelievable experiences in our exciting world. The Veterans’ Awards Luncheon is one of the activities for the 2024 National Journalism Week being held from Sunday, November 17, 2024 to Monday, November 25, 2024 under the theme ‘Media Power: Shaping Democracy or Serving Agendas?’

Congratulations to the veterans honoured: Barbara Gayle, Neville Bell, Arthur Hall, Joseph Wellington, and Durrant Pate. Some of them are youngsters from my time, so I felt like a proud aunt listening to the citations lauding their courage and integrity.

In the reply on behalf of the recipients, again the topic of violence came up as Arthur Hall recalled the trauma he suffered after visiting a crime scene where a mother and her baby had been murdered. He shared that for weeks after he was haunted by the images, leading to sleeplessness and lack of appetite. He appealed to media bosses to ensure that there are programmes to address the mental health of their reporters. This is the effect of violence that is injuring the psyche of our very country. It must never be ‘old news’.

TECH SHARPENS THE JCA

Dr Velma Ricketts Walker, CEO/Commissioner of the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), gave us faith that we have public sector initiatives that are safeguarding our people and promoting greater efficiency. Her presentation took place at the recent Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s (JCC) 23rd Annual Customs Seminar.

Dr Ricketts Walker shared the mission of the JCA: “To facilitate trade, protect our borders, optimise revenue collection, through collaborative border management and delivery of high-quality customer service and to develop and maintain a team of motivated professional and competent staff.”

She referred to the call of the World Customs Organization for digital transformation by embracing a data culture and building a data ecosystem. She shared her model, impressing on us the focus on governance, competence, and skills of personnel. We have already seen the result of this upgrade, with improved customer service, reducing some of the time-consuming stages in claiming imports. What a splendid example for other public sector bodies.

DAVID HERON’S HBO DÉBUT

Award-winning playwright and actor David Heron received his first major HBO screen credit as acting and dialogue coach for their five-part television seriesbGet Millie Black, which premières today. Heron noted that the producers were “dedicated and determined to be fully authentic in their depiction of ‘yaad’ in this pulsating crime drama set almost exclusively on the streets of Jamaica”. He congratulated writer-creator Marlon James and actor Chyna McQueen, “who makes a screen début for the ages”. Congratulations, David!

FAREWELL, FINE JAMAICANS

The Convent of Mercy Academy ‘Alpha’ family is saddened at the loss of our eldest graduate, Carmen Elaine Robertson Brown. The Mercy Associates celebrated her in 2022, where she interacted with students and enjoyed their tributes in song.

Her daughter Jean Moss-Solomon describes her as, “root of our family and our faith, and from whom, by her life of selflessness and simplicity, we first learnt love of God, love of family, love of neighbour, love of country”. Our condolence to the family and may our exemplar rest in eternal peace.

St Andrew Justices of the Peace (SAJP) are eternally grateful for the kindness of hotelier Glen Bromfield, who passed away recently. Bromfield donated a beautifully furnished office to the SAJP for many years. His Medallion Hall was an affordable alternative for meetings and celebrations and his welcoming warmth radiated to his excellent staff. For many years, he also donated property on Lady Musgrave Road for a children’s home and also established an education resource centre in his home parish of St Elizabeth.

Bromfield was a founder of Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) and was honoured for 50 years’ contribution to the tourist industry by Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA) in 2022. Our sympathy to his family; may his generous soul rest in peace.

Jean Lowrie-Chin is an author, communications expert, and seniors advocate. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lowrichin@aim.com.

Glen Bromfield

Velma Ricketts Walker, commissioner of Customs (Photo: Alty Benjamin Jr)