Kay Anderson

Immediate Past Lieutenant Governor

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Kiwanians condemn brutal attacks on children

PRESS CONFERENCE HELD BY LEIGHTON MCKNIGHT KIWANIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR 23 EAST, October 4th, 2008

At right, LG Leighton McKnight addressing audience at the Press
Conference on Violence on our Youths held on October 4th, 2008.

AGAINST the back-drop of the chilling and violent attacks on Jamaican children in recent weeks, the Kiwanis Clubs of Jamaica wants to step up its campaign to champion the cause of vulnerable Jamaican kids, and has called on the wider society to do the same.

At an emergency press conference at the Medallion Hall Hotel in St Andrew, Lieutenant Governor Leighton McKnight joined his fellow Kiwanians in calling on the perpetrators of the vicious crimes against our children to cease from such actions.

Sheron E. Cameron-Dunn
2008/09 Governor
Eastern Canada & the Caribbean
District, Kiwanis International

2008/09 THEME AND GOALS
District Theme: “Embracing Challenges,

Creating Opportunities”

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'The numbers clearly indicate that we are losing our soul as a nation'

Leighton McKnight, LG of the Kiwanis Clubs presents a cheque valued
at $40,000 to Veniece Brown (right) and her
beaming daughters Kaygil and Kaytin
Graham, who are among the first
beneficiaries of the 'At Least One Child Per Club' Foster Care Project. Sharing in the
occasion is Sharian Baker (second left), governor, Key Clubs. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

"As Kiwanians, we believe that the [crime] numbers clearly indicate that we are losing our soul as a nation. While we celebrate the success of our athletes in Beijing, as a country we should hang our heads in shame as it relates to the protection of our children. This madness must stop and stop immediately," McKnight told the packed conference room.

According to police statistics cited by McKnight, in 2006, 39 children were murdered while 43 were killed in 2007. Since the start of 2008, more than 57 have been murdered."The island's over 2,500 Kiwanians register outrage, shock and condemnation of these continuing brutal attacks on our nation's children by certain heartless elements in the society. We have noted the disturbing trend of unprecedented violence against helpless children, including abuse, molestation, rape and murder," he said.

"The youths of today have been reduced to mere preys of the vicious predators mercilessly attacking and ripping the lives of our people apart. We, as children, live in constant fear of being attacked; the joy of childhood is being marred by horrendous acts against our children," said Queen's High student Sharian Baker, who serves as Governor of the Key Clubs.

Don Canaday

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT - 2008-2009

GOALS

1. 1 million members by 2015
2. 400 new clubs per year

Purpose – To improve lives through fellowship in Service worldwide

Defining Statement – Kiwanis is a Global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.

District Governor of Kiwanis International (Eastern Canada and the Caribbean) Sheron Cameron-Dunn also condemned the recent spate of child killings.

"To say that we are saddened by what is happening to our children is an understatement. Is it not enough that children are suffering from illnesses and diseases? Is it not enough that
parents, because of their circumstances, cannot afford to give children the nutrition and comfort they need? As a Jamaican, I am embarrassed to know that some of my own countrymen and women have such little regard for the lives of our children," said Cameron-Dunn. "I appeal to our Jamaican people to join hands with Kiwanians and other service groups and service providers in finding ways to nurture our children so they may grow up with a positive outlook on life and in turn become good citizens and parents themselves."

Meanwhile, McKnight noted that Jamaica's 59 Kiwanis clubs would immediately increase their continued efforts to make our society more"children-friendly". As such, the service bodies will be teaming up with the Child Development Agency (CDA) on a number of initiatives. These include having at least one Kiwanian sit on the Visitors Board of each of the over 60 children's homes; assisting with child safety awareness programmes in schools; broadening the activities of Kiwanis sponsored youth programmes in schools and continuing the rollout of their new "At Least One Child Per Club" Foster Care Project.

"Through [the foster care project] we want our clubs to provide mentorship for children across the island. Now that it is underway three clubs have already come on board and we plan to roll out to the rest of the 59 clubs, and it is not limited to one child per club," McKnight told the Sunday Observer. "All Kiwanis clubs have committed to the continued execution of several projects designed to better nurture our children in keeping with our ongoing emphasis on making young children our number one priority. We implore the government, opposition, churches and other civic organisations and well-thinking Jamaicans to increase efforts to protect our children. It is obvious that current measures are woefully inadequate."

Allison Anderson, executive director of the Child Development Agency (CDA) endorsed the new initiatives, saying the CDA is "in full support of the challenge taken up by the Kiwanians, and we want to say best of luck".