PRIME Minister Dr Andrew Holness on Wednesday appealed to absent fathers to play a more active role in their children’s lives, not just financially but emotionally, especially given the penchant of gangs for recruiting boys.

“Much more is expected of you as fathers because — and in particular in the case of our society where we have gangs that are active, that are looking to play the father role in the lives of our young men — we need our young fathers to step up and ensure that your children do not get recruited into these gangs,” Holness said at a special pre-Father’s Day event he hosted at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Emphasising the importance of fatherhood in shaping families and the nation Holness said, “I use this platform to appeal to the biological fathers who may not be playing their role to step up to their financial role, step up to their emotional support role, and support the other fathers who may not have the economic wherewithal but they are doing their role, they are playing their part. And if all our fathers played their part, Jamaica would be a far better place than it is.”

These fathers enjoying the special pre-Father’s Day event held at the Office of the Prime Minister last Wednesday.

Holness told 110 fathers at the event that there will be a collective national effort to support and uplift fathers as strengthening fatherhood is critical to building the Jamaican society.

He argued that even in economically difficult circumstances a father’s presence can have a lasting impact, and said that fatherhood is one of life’s most sacred callings. As such, he acknowledged fathers who embrace their responsibilities and make sacrifices for their children.

“We honour those fathers who play their role, who make the sacrifice — whether it is for the school fee, the lunch money, or a significant moment in the development of their child — that they ensure that those moments can be realised… Aside from the economic roots that we expect our fathers to provide, there is an emotional coverage that fathers give, even if they don’t have the economic wherewithal, the economic means. On Father’s Day, the recognition of the children, it’s not so much about what they got financially from their fathers, it is more so what they got in emotional support from their fathers,” the prime minister said.

He pointed out that although research by the Caribbean Child Development Centre and United Nations Children’s Fund has shown that a significant number of Jamaican households are female-led, it also highlights the importance of fathers in the home.

“There is a growing appreciation of the importance of the male role model in the presence of the child, particularly in the early stages of development. This is, therefore, growing acknowledgement of the importance of having the father involved in the child’s development and, indeed, involved in the household in which the child is growing up,” said Holness.

These men find favour with the message delivered by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness at a pre-Father’s Day event he hosted at the Office of the Prime Minister last Wednesday.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness (centre) with fathers who attended a special pre-Father’s Day event he hosted at the Office of the Prime Minister last Wednesday.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness addressing fathers during a special pre-Father’s Day event he hosted at the Office of the Prime Minister last Wednesday. He used the event to appeal to absent fathers to play a more active role in their children’s lives.