WESTERN BUREAU:

The nation's children are being short-changed by parents who pull them out of school to work, says Marva Ximinies, director of the Child Labour Unit in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Ximinies said it had come to her attention that children were, in effect, competing with each other to sell goods in the market on Fridays in the parish of Westmoreland.

"We have had reported incidents, particularly coming from the west," she said.

Ximinies was speaking during a recent public education forum in Savanna-la-Mar, hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

She said, "Sexual exploitation and child trafficking are considered the worst forms of child labour."

Ximinies noted that research into the matter showed that girls were being recruited into exploitative activities at locations in the parish. When police were made aware of the activities, the girls would be relocated to other areas.

According to the Savanna-la-Mar police, personnel periodically visit communities and inform residents of the various laws and offences that fall under the jurisdiction of the police and the family court.

Cases rarely reported

On the other hand, a member of the Child Development Agency in Westmoreland said that, while the problem was not prevalent, cases were rarely reported. It was disclosed that, about two years ago, the agency received reports from the children's advocate about youths selling in the market.

On investigation, about three to four parents, whose children were with them at the time, said they did not know it to be an offence.

It was also revealed that many of the children who sell in the Savanna-la-Mar market are not from the area and only sell produce there as, they claim, the market was better for sales.

Ximinies said that, when incidents of child labour are discovered, they are referred to the Child Development Agency which carries out the necessary investigations and, if it becomes a criminal matter, the police are asked to intervene.