Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Lawman Lynch (centre), president of the youth arm of the Kingston and St. Andrew Action Forum (KSA-AF), articulates an idea about child abuse during a press conference held by the group at the Mustard Seed Communities Children's Home in St. Andrew yesterday. Lynch is flanked by Captain Antiape Blaise (left) of the Salvation Army and Arlene Bailey, president of the Fletcher's Land Parenting Association. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Nine-thirty at nights is the time being given by the Kingston and St. Andrew Action Forum (KSA-AF) as a curfew for children islandwide to be off the streets between Sunday and Thursday.

The call was made yesterday at a press conference held at the Mustard Seed Communities Children's Home in St. Andrew by the group which called for other tough measures to deal with the rising level of violence against children.

"We recommend a 9:30 curfew with a half-hour grace period, which would take it up to 10:00 p.m., from Sunday to Thursday, for children to be off the streets, unless accompanied by an adult for good reason," said Lawman Lynch, president of the KSA-AF's youth arm.

Drastic measures needed

Citing several incidents of violence against children in the past months, Lynch said that Jamaica had become an island in trouble and drastic measures were needed to stem the problem.

"I can say many persons are going to say (this) is foolishness and some are going to say we don't have any money and the police cannot do this and the police cannot do that, but when will we make our young people and our children our priority?" Lynch argued.

He also called for harsher punishments for criminals and to remove the option of bail for them.

"Harsher punishment should be meted out for convicted youth abusers and no bail should be given to them during trial. Once we hold them and lock them up, do not offer them bail, you have caught them, keep them," he said.

He did not spare parents or teachers.

"Teachers and caregivers should not remain in the system if they turn a blind eye or refuse to report the abuse of young children.

"Parents must be brought to book; they must be locked up for children and young people who have no choice but to be on the streets, especially during school hours, fending for themselves. We need to go after the parents," he declared.

Dwayne Cargill, a youth representative from the office of the Children's Advocate, also called on the Government to speed up legislation to protect children.

"The laws regarding sexual offences and incest have been revised but there is still an urgent need for this to be finalised and enacted. We also need the registry of sexual offenders in place (and) the Obscene Publication Act updated."

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com