Children Pedestrian Safety
Submitted by Felicia Browne
Submitted by Felicia Browne, Women’s Advocate
The Caribbean Mentorship Institute (CMI) is disturbed by the increasing number of child fatalities due to vehicular accidents and is advocating that all children of school age to be provided comprehensive training on pedestrian safety.[…] Road crashes are the leading cause of death among young people ages 1529 (as pedestrians and occupants), and the second leading cause of death worldwide among young people ages 514.
Read full text – Children Pedestrian Safety
Barbados Underground 
“Put up yuh hand and ask permission to speak when you want to talk and adults speaking”
De ole man dates he’self with this old practice but I would axe wunna high faluting Caribbean Mentorship Institute Peeples what is the purpose and process for putting up de hand?
It is three fold.
1) The Child who wishes to say something WAITS until THE ADULTS who are doing something TO STOP AND MORE IMPORTANTLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM!!
2) The ADULT who is doing something FINISHED WHAT THEY ARE DOING and comes to a halt, focuses on the child and grants them permission to speak
3) FINALLY, THE CHILD being aware that BOTH ADULTS have stopped speaking then proceeds to speak.
This seems like an asinine, simplistic explanation that is not related to this issue of Child & Pedestrian Safety but the ole man been heah a little while and would suggest this
I hope that image copy heah properly.
Wunna see dat opened outstretched hand placed in front of the body when one is at the side of the road?
It does 5 THINGS!! when children/pedestrians are crossing the road –
1) The Child who normally is not focusing on what it is doing, has to hold up its hand in an unnatural position to indicate that I is asking permission to cross the street.
2) IT keeps the normally errant focus of the child on its hand AND MADES SAID CHILD aware that as long as it is crossing the street that its hand should be in that outstretched position
3) SAID CHILD knows that the COMMENSURATE ACTION is that oncoming traffic is to stop so it waits until THE ADULTS who are NOW DRIVING COME TO A HALT AND THEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM!!
4) The ADULT who is driving PAUSES WHAT THEY ARE DOING and comes to a halt, focuses on the child and grants them permission to cross WHILE MAKING IT THEIR BUSINESS TO WATCH ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR TRAFFIC FROM THEIR REAR and blow a horn to cause the pedestrian to halt
5) AND FINALLY, THE CHILD being in that state of outstretched hand, continually AWARE that a horn means pause UNTIL BOTH ADULTS/DRIVERS have stopped, finishes crossing the street.
Please note that de ole man is only talking bout pedestrians crossing the road which, according to global statistics, accounts for 25% of the people killed annually
It might be a seemingly silly thing to do BUT you see dat hand ting driver and pedestrian alike will be conditioned to register and hopefully obey that sign
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The press conference minister Blackett has promised to hold this week will be interesting for many reasons, at the top of the list is – the points he will used to defend the Child Care Board. This is no time to play politics with the safety of our children Mr. Blackett! If a matter is reported it must be followed with rigour.
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Some of the indiscipline exhibited by many a school child has been inherited from some of the parents, who refuse to use the pedestrian crossing when taking their charges to school,and often times the pedestrian crossing is only a few yards away. The road traffic act of Barbados prohibits drivers from attaching and ear phone or other contrivance to their ears when operating on our roads. No such restriction for pedestrians, among them the growing number of school children equipped with the latest cell phone and who can be seen crossing the roads , with an ear phone attached, but worst still are the many adults and children who we meet on the highway, glued to the screen of their electronic devices, either texting or watching , and drifting into the path of oncoming or overtaking traffic.
We are very lucky that not many of our school children ride bikes to school, although it appears that in this country bike riders, the pedal type,and now the motorised type, have absolute priority over other road users.
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@Colonel Buggy
Of course disciplining children is the core responsibility of parents but as recent cases have demonstrated, if cases of abuse are reported to the Child Care Board they need to act! If resources is an issue then the managers of the CCB (minister et al) need to make their voices heard.
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It is all about the laws that restrict these agencies ft taking swift action Many here on B U are prone to inject the personnel from of emotions justice without firstly reviewing the laws of governance
The CCB like any other ministry cannot use protective measures outside those which is permitted by law to remove children
Clearly one must know that many of these laws have been implemented longer than seven years
Maybe the country has come to a juncture where these laws needs to be revisited and strengthen however court approval might be necessary before implementation is enacted
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I have but one important thing to add to this conversation: lets go back to the core values pedagogy.
1) Respect
2) Responsibility
3) Results
4) Rewards
And these four core values can be inculcated in the three institutions which exercises the most influence upon the malleable mind of the child, the home, school and church.
In any event, Piece you should never blame a child for conduct which wars against the proper moral decorum of society because a child learn by way of modeling and emulating the behaviour of the adult.
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Piece
In your day is usual to be blame, rewards and punishment right?
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AC
So you’re telling me that if an innocent child who lives in a home where he or she is being sexually, physically, emotionally psychologically and willfully neglected, that the laws in Barbados prevents those persons who are charged with the responsibility to investigating such allegations from removing that child?
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Don’t believe it…
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No Dompey that is not what I am saying.However all rules and guidelines must be followed to protect the accused as well as the accuser .The CCB cannot take upon itself to remove a child without due process one which entails hours of detailed investigation .it goes way beyond heresay but is coupled with intense background checkups starting with the family ànd friends and acquaintances who might have been in contact with the child
The bottom line is finding the truth whereby no one would be wrongfully accused and the govt has to pay monetary price
You would be surprised how families at times try to cover-up these awful offences to protect close friendships outside the home.
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@ac September 13, 2015 at 2:54 PM “It is all about the laws that restrict these agencies ft taking swift action. Clearly one must know that many of these laws have been implemented longer than seven years.”
Dear ac: The damned lying party has been in office for more than 7 years now. If the laws need to be changed why haven’t they changed them? What is your party waiting for? Is the damned lying party waiting for another child to be killed? Another molester to get away with harming a child? Is the damned lying party waiting for a third term in office before they begin to do the work for which we pay them so well?
Has the Child Care Board made any recommendations as to how the laws should be changed? If not why not? Has the Minister asked the CCB for recommendations? If not why not?
The U.N Champion for children has made some has she not?
Has your party implemented even one of these recommendations? If not why not?
We Bajans are sick and tired of government and government agencies wringing their hands and saying “we can’t do neffen”
You have the authority. You have the power. You have the brains. You have the education.
Do something.
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@Simple
Good points.
You may recall after Jehan King was murdered the CCB removed 13 children from situations where they were being abused. This single act gives horrific insight.
To support your point read PM Stuart:
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/72224/pm-vow
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Another bunch of emotional dribble by SS
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@ David
What good points by Simple are those…?
She said that the DLP ‘.. have the brains’……
WHERE….?
…and she calls on them to ‘DO something’…
HOW….?
…buy another hotel, pay to knock up down, borrow to build um back…and GIVE um to a Paradise killer?
Boss, EVERYTHING that they have done so far has been shiite…
Our best bet seems to be – for Froon to sleep for the next two years and for stinkliar to go back on a diet..
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Another bunch if mindless dribble from Professor Know it all Bush shite . negro you need to go rest yuh weary a.as .but before u go just realise that the world is now a global community with rules and guidelines to adhere ,.Not this Bush whacker mentality that you dream of.
Barbados is no longer isolated many of its guidelines are set in stone dictated by international agreements which Barbados govts. signed and agreed
Now if u do not like the international agreements simply get a few of your antiquated friends and form yuh own govt jack a.ss
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Fruendel Stuart has finally awaken from his slumber and decided to speak on the CAHILL and child abuse issues.
However, he did not direct his speech to the Barbadian populace, but to the DLP faithful at a DLP St. James South constituency branch meeting held yesterday.
It seems as though Stuart can only address issues when in the company of DEMS, whether at DLP constituency branch meetings or at George Street.
I hope he bears his modus operandi in mind when election campaign time comes around.
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The PM does not need any political guidance from the blp yard fowls .proof the last election which the yard fowls had predicted to be a sweeping of the dlp by the blp
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@ac September 14, 2015 at 7:54 AM “Barbados is no longer isolated many of its guidelines are set in stone dictated by international agreements which Barbados govts. signed and agreed.”
So ac please tell us exactly which international agreement(s) Barbados has signed that compels the CCB and other governmental authorities to permit the abuse of children.
Tell us.
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I put it to you ac that you are either lying or misinformed. I put it to you that Barbados has never signed any international agreement which mandates that children must stay in the home of abusive parents.
I put it to you that parents DO NOT OWN their children.
I put it to you that the Child Care Board’s own rules, and that all international agreements which the Barbados government has signed concerning children COMPELS parents, the Child Care Board and the Barbados government to ALWAYS ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
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Who the fcuk do you think you are bu!! sh!t-t!ng?
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The CCB is compelled and supported by the laws of Barbados to remove children from abusive households. And it can be done quickly. The problem in Barbados is a cash strapped government and underresourced CCB.
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Dear David and dear ac:
I don’t know that the Child Care Board is so under resourced.
I for example am quite happy to be a foster parent for the Child Care Board. I can provide the love, shelter, guidance etc. but the Child Care Board has some archaic rule that does not permit people over a certain age (45 I believe) to be foster parents. That rule may have been made in 1960 when the life expectancy was much lower, but now that the Barbados life expectancy is 78.1, and for women 80.9 why is the Board still operating under such an archaic rule. And isn’t it true that experienced parents are typically better parents?
Sometime solutions don’t cost a lot of money.
But we have to THINK how can we do things better even if we don’t have more money?
There are any number of health retured 60+ people out there who have themselves sucessfully raised children and who can assist the Board in raising another one or two. But has the Board asked?
Has the Minister asked? If not why not?
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Even our Prime Minister is likely capable of taking and raising an infant to adulthood. He is barely over 60 in good health, of good character, of good income.
So why not?
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SS taking words and interpreting to one’s interpretation is not what governs law
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I think that the CCB may be intimidated by some of the petty bread and fish lawyers we have ’bout the place and by the bad behaved clients of such lawyers.
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Sometime recently ac asked for solutions. I have suggested one at 1:05 p.m. today. Then I would suggest the Minister of Education as the next excellent foster parent, because he is barely over 50, a loving person, in excellent health, of good character, of good income etc. So why not?
Are we waiting for Santa Claus or for somebody over-in-away to foster our distressed children or are we going to lead from the front?
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AC
I do agree that in many of these cases of alleged abuse that the rule of law and due-process must apply. However, the safety, security and well-being of an alleged abused child at times must supersede the due process and rule of law as it applies to the alleged accuser in some instance.
Nevertheless, lets take for example the hypothetical that a call came into an organization charged with the responsibility of investigating a case involving the sexual and physical abuse of a child.
And upon interviewing the child the mother and the father who happens to be the focus of the investigation, it was determined through the medical examination of the child that no sexual-abuse had occured, but the allegation of the physical abuse was proven to be inconclusive.
My question to you is this: do you think that the inconclusiveness of the allegation of the physical abuse of the child warrants her removal based on the reasoning that leaving her in this potentially abusive home could quite possibly endanger her safety, or do you think that the due process and rule of law regarding the parent rights ought to be followed since the allegation of abuse couldn’t be fully substantiate?
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Dompey based on reality what you say is plausible. However unless a high probability shows that the abuse is done in the home the child cannot be removed and even then a court order is necessary.
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AC
If what you have described with respect to the child protective laws in Barbados as fact, then perhaps their ought to be a move to updated the laws there.
Now as I have stated above: in cases of alleged abused or neglected, the chlid’s safety, security, and well-being ought to be of paramount importance.
And that is why the social worker from the Child Protective Services here in my state can exercise what is called Exigent Circumstances and what that simply entails is the exception to the general requirement of a warrant under the Fourth Amendment.
Now Exigent Circumstances occur when a law enforcement officer has a probable cause, and not sufficient time to secure a warrant. So as I was saying above: a social worker from the Child Protective Services can act in Exigent Circumstances where he or she has enough reasonable cause to believe that a child has an immediate need for medical care or the child is at imminent risk of serious physical injury, and he or she has no time to obtain a court order.
So in conclusion: a warrant is not always necessay in circumstances where child abuse or neglect is reported because a social worker from Child Protective Services can act in Exigent Circumstances, where he or she has probable cause to suspect the the abuse or neglect I have alluded to above.
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AC
So in other words AC: the removal of a child does not warrant a warrant in Exigent Circumstances.
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Simple Simon,
You are so right in everything but your assertion that the ruling party has the intelligence. Didn’t you hear the recent mouthings of Steve Blackett to the effect that the CCB was falling “a little short” in one area? I swear these people are a public relations nightmare! Using the term “a little short” is disrespectful to the memories of those precious children who were so cruelly taken from us. And now the PM is saying they are going to “talk this thing through”? Where is the language commensurate with the seriousness of the problem?
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@ac
You are clueless to how the CCB operates in Barbados. The following document may assist you to shed light where there is darkness.
Click to access BARBADOS_ing.PDF
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listen in extreme circumstances the state can apply through the court for custodial protection of the child, if the T/s are crossed and dots in correct places, Do not get me wrong the state has rights ,but do not forget the families and the child has rights too, Nevertheless what has attracted the out cry on this issue is a belief that the agency just stood by and did not intervene, How does any one knows that?One must be cautious before one opens mouth to speak , most likely interventions with applicable processes to remove the child could have been ongoing. or maybe the case worker after several visits and interviews did not for see the possibility of severe harm coming to the child or the necessity for removing the child.
Who Knows cases are different scenarios which seem to be of less danger can become explosive while on the other hand the opposite is true,
In any case the child protective agencies must do process only guided by the state laws which govern.
Certainly after these rash of extreme cases the govt would have to proceed in strengthening laws and guidelines,
However do not be surprised if this issue becomes a political football if the implementation of tougher laws erode or denies what parents believed are good disciplinary actions upon their children
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BTW there are many lawyers chopping at the bit to find any necessary action arising out ot the child removal and a probable cause that due process was not followed
this is law and remember the phrase ‘ Rush to judgement” can be useful when applied.
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Look David do not be a JAS my comments relate to rules and gudlines take note in the first paragraph the word strengthening of laws which is principled to my comments was inserted
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Here is another document to inform the discussion:
Click to access cao_unicefeco_national_protocol_Barbados.pdf
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Here is what Section 3:7 under the CAP. 145 Prevention of Cruelty to Children states as it relates to removing a child from an environment where there is abuse. Hopefully this puts this matter to rest fr you Dompey.
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when was this Act last updated this is 2015
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http://parenthood.library.wisc.edu/Melli/Melli.html
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AC
I am not quite sure if those persons in Barbados who are charged with the responbsibility of removing a child, if there is suspected abuse is protected under what is called here the Good Samaritan Law. Now the Good Samaritan Law protects those persons from litigation who may have cross the line legally speaking, even though their were acting in good faith to protect another.
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@ ac
Do you mind explaining what “Parenthood in America,” “The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974” and “The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980” have to do with Barbados?
You asked David when last the Prevention of Cruelty Act was updated.
Yet, you presented a 1974 Act (The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974) and a 1980 Act (The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980) to substantiate your arguments.
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@ac September 14, 2015 at 7:46 PM “when was this Act last updated this is 2015.”
Dear ac: Since you know all things DLP and since the DLP has been in office for the better part of 2 terms (more than 7 years) perhaps you can tell us why the ACT has not been updated in the past 7 years.
Is the DLP waiting for the BLP to update the ACT and if not can you tell us when the DLP will update the act.
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Or is it that the DLP does not know what to do and how to do.
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The question to ask is when will the AG deliver the New Domestic Abuse Act he promised women a couple years ago. BU deliberately waited to post responses to expose the two musketeers it is always about a pissing contest instead of the merits of the discussion. It is about them and not the argument.
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@ David [BU]
De Ole Man was able to save “The Ten Commandments of Logic” all by meself without my son’s help
That is classic
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@PUDRYR
It is about learning and the ‘commandments’ will help anybody who wants to up their game.
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there is trute and there is truth
Here is what UNICEF says about the Child Protection Laws of Barbados, In order for a country to Protect its vulnerable the laws must be amplified to give better support to the agencies involved
Click to access cao_unicefeco_national_protocol_Barbados.pdf
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@ ac
I hope wunnuh realize that the document you presented: “CHILD PROTECTION IN BARBADOS: THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL REPORTING PROTOCOL,” was compiled in 2007 when Joan Crawford was Director of the Child Care Board (under the previous BLP administration).
Remember in response to information David posted you asked “when was this Act last updated this is 2015.” I hope you know that the article you presented is from 2007 (and this is 2015).
Now, since the BLP can’t do nutten right fuh wunnah, I am surprised you could present that article and attached the statement: “there is trute and there is truth.”
Therefore, it is against this background that I am going to ask you (especially since you seem to be the mouth-piece and the representative of the DLP on BU) and if you truly believe that “In order for a country to Protect its vulnerable the laws must be amplified to give better support to the agencies involved:”
What has the DLP done in the past 7 years to “amplify laws to give better support to the agencies involved?” This is a FAIR question.
I have another question for you: why did Steve Blackett waited until after the death of not one, but four children under mysterious circumstances, (when in each case there were recorded reports of child abuse and numerous complaints made to the Child Care Board, and taking other cases of child abuse into consideration), to “knee jerkly” convene a meeting with officials of the Child Care Board, which as at September 15, 2015, has not materialized?
But it’s all about politics for this administration. Check the amount of zeal and enthusiasm Steve Blackett has been able to display when he delivered his speech about the “David Thompson Classic Memorial Football Tournament.”
The DLP financing a football tournament when people have been awaiting their sickness, maternity and unemployment benefits, while some have been waiting for their income tax refunds since 2012, and after over one year of being retrenched, the former employees of Beautify Barbados are yet to receive severance payments.
Perhaps if Steve Blackett had gotten of his POMPOUS BACKSIDE, exhibited similar enthusiasm, zeal and INTEREST, and PROACTIVELY performed his duties as minister responsible for the CCB, rather than REACTIONARY, especially after a video was circulating on social media a few months ago showing a woman brutally beating a young girl with a piece of wood, or even more recently after the death of Johann King and taking into consideration that this child’s grandmother made numerous complaints to the CCB that were ignored, we probably won’t be having this “discussion” today.
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BU is hopeful the 10 commandments will resonate with everyone. When we allow our minds to be locked in a prison of its own then we are no different to the person who has passed to the great beyond.
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Yes an article that was fully analysis and scrutined by UNICEF for its many flaws and failures not at all surprised that the BLP attempt at tackling social issues have render all hopeless to where we are.
Try reading with clarity
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@ ac
I hope you’ll be honest to admit that after 7 years at the helm of government, your above comments can also be attributed to the DLP.
This DLP administration has been an abysmal failure in their attempt to tackle social issues. Transport Board, Welfare, NIS pensions, unemployment, maternity and sickness benefit claims, child care, the services rendered by the Urban and Rural Development Commissions have realized significant failures under this administration, thereby adversely affecting those individuals they are expect to serve.
I’m sure you’re hanging your head in shame that circumstances required the death of four children and the maltreatment of three children (the eldest girl being raped by her “mother’s man,” who also encouraged those children to “water” his marijuana plants), before the Minister of SOCIAL CARE, Constituency Empowerment & Community Development, Steve Blackett, reacted.
The above scenarios are by far worse than any inadequacies of policies you are attempting to suggest the UNICEF allegedly highlighted in that 2007 report.
Additionally, do you think this administration would receive a glowing report from UNICEF, especially after taking into consideration the amount of incidences of child abuse under your party’s watch during the past 7 years?
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@ ac
The days of blaming the “worst recession in a 100 years” and the BLP for your party’s failures have come to an end, and it’s time for the DLP to hold themselves accountable and accept responsibility for these failures. You have held the reins of government for the past seven years.
You also have a habit of blaming our current situation in any given area on the policies of the former BLP administration. However, in doing so, apparently you do not realize that you are actually emphasizing the inadequacies of the DLP.
During the 14 year tenure of the BLP, the DLP, as opposition, were privy to all policies and if they opposed them, they should have made the appropriate changes when they came to office in 2008.
The DLP had 14 years in opposition to compile the adequate information and formulate alternative policies, and 7 years to enact those policies…….. a total of TWENTY-ONE (21) YEARS.
These policies could have enacted with the speed similar to what Stuart adopted to repeal the Public Accounts Committee Act. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
But then again, Stuart, in keeping with the DLP’s apparent opposition to ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY, felt it was much more important to prevent the DLP from being scrutinized that he proceeded with haste to repeal the PAC Act, while the former Beautify Barbados employees are still awaiting their severance.
I know you can’t help responding, so I’m advising you to please be guided by the “Ten Commandments of Logic” before attempting to respond.
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@David September 15, 2015 at 7:12 AM “BU is hopeful the 10 commandments will resonate with everyone.”
Sorry to be both daft and disobedient David, but who is the Prime Minister’s girlfriend? Does he have one? (or has he been celibate these many decades) and if he has a girlfriend and if we know who she was would that information shed any light on matters?
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