Children's activists troubled by rise in summer drownings
published:
Tuesday | July 29, 2008
Children's Advocate Mary Clarke and the group, Hear the Children's Cry, are expressing concern about the worrying number of children who have drowned since the start of the summer.
Police statistics indicate that seven children between the ages of three and 11 have drowned since June 21.
The latest victim, three-year-old Cavin Codner, was found at the National Water Commission (NWC) Sewage Treatment Plant in Falmouth, Trelawny, yesterday.
The toddler went missing on Sunday.
Stop trespassing
It is believed that Cavin, affectionately known as 'Big Man', gained access to the plant through a hole that had been made in the fence. The NWC's community relations manager for the western region, Lisa Golding, said it is the policy of the NWC to fence and padlock such facilities.
She is appealing to persons to stop trespassing on the commission's properties.
The children's advocate is urging parents to pay special attention to their children for the remainder of the summer season.
Clarke also suggested parents have their children learn how to swim if they are in a position to do so.
Proper supervision
Clarke is supported by the convenor of Hear the Children's Cry, Betty-Ann Blaine.
According to Blaine, if parents are unable to properly supervise their children, they must ensure that proper alternative provisions are made.
Blaine said the majority of children who drown are from poorer families.
"Like children who die in fires, these are tragedies that, for the most part, beset children from the poorer socio-economic groupings in this country."
Blaine continued: "Middle-class children are taught to swim at an early age; they have better resources, especially during the summer months."
She said despite their socio-economic backgrounds, all parents, especially those near large bodies of water, should ensure that at no time, are their children left unattended.
The children's lobbyist said the State also has a critical role to play in child protection. She insisted that appropriate action must be taken to restrict access to bodies of water in public areas, like the Kingston Waterfront.
"The State ought to ensure that in those facilities, there is proper monitoring," she said.
Summer tragedies
The following children have drowned since June 21
Name
Age
parish
Date
Marvin Traile
18
June 21
Ackieshyed Stewart
St Elizabeth
June 28
Steven Watson
15
Trelawny
July 15
Javaughn James
15
St Mary
July 7
Craig Lee Daley
14
St Elizabeth
July 14
Harry Jones
14
Kingston
July 23
Cavin Codner
3
Trelawny
July 28
Monitor your children
Always ensure that there is proper adult supervision at the pools, beach, etc.
Networking with other parents will reduce the chance of unauthorised sleepovers.
Parents should keep abreast of all the happenings in entertainment so that they will know the kinds of parties the child is attending and the time that they are expected to end.
Ask for the names addresses and telephone numbers of your children's friends so that you can make contact with them.
