Dear Editor,
I have two great concerns about the welfare of our children in Jamaica, especially our girls.
1) The high incidence of sexual abuse being meted out to our girls is an indictment on our nation. How can our girls enjoy their childhood when they have to be worrying whether they are going to get raped as they go about their daily activities. Almost every woman I discuss this matter with confides in me that they were molested/raped as young girls.
What a burden to be carrying around for years. The trauma they suffered in these experience must have mental health implications in their lives.
My fellow men, please consider that the young girl you molest today might be your grandson’s wife in the future. Consider the mental health of that child when she becomes a woman and the wife of your grandson. Let us be their protector and not their molester.
2) The second great concern I have is the lack of positive leadership, especially from fathers, for our young people. As a father and grandfather, it pains my heart to see this and then we blame our children when they get off course. We need to realise that it is we who are failing them and no the other way around.
I have been in youth club leadership for over 30 years and I have come to realise that if you provide quality leadership you will get quality results.
Fathers, you might not live in the same household as your children, but you can still lead by example. Let us develop vision, like this mother who years ago appealed to me as a businessman to get broiler chicks and feed on a credit basis while her daughter was going through medical school so that she could finance her training. Today the daughter is a qualified medical doctor.
Contrast that to the case of a father who refused to finance the payment for his son to sit his exams, leaving the boy to seek my assistance. Today that young man is now a medical doctor too.
Let us start a transformation revolution and create an abuse-free environment for our girls. Let us provide the leadership for our children so they can follow our example and develop a positive trend.

Denroy Palmer
denroypalmer54@gmail.com