KINGSTON, Jamaica — Youth and Culture Minister, Lisa Hanna, is again warning people who persistently abuse minors, to desist or face harsh penalties for these offences.
She repeated the call in the wake of recent reports surfacing of children losing their lives or suffering persistent abuse at the hands of adults, islandwide.
“We are sending a very strong signal to those persons in our society who continue to hurt our children. We will come and find you. We will make sure that…the full weight of the law comes down, not only on your head, but on those heads who do not report that a child is being hurt,” Hanna warned.
Hanna was speaking at the inaugural National Exiting Care Career Information Fair and Exposition at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Kingston yesterday.
She said that, as a nation, “we have to take this matter of child protection seriously, so that all [children] can grow up to [fulfil their potential and make meaningful contributions to Jamaica and the world]”.
For her part, chief executive officer, Child Development Agency (CDA), Rosalee Gage Grey also called on members of society to play their part in ensuring that the welfare of the nation’s children is protected.
She assured that the CDA is and will remain resolute in providing care and protection for Jamaica’s children.