Rocky Point in line for major social intervention

A unified approach is being taken by agencies, as well as the local political representatives, to stage a broad-based social intervention programme in the community of Rocky Point.

The need was made clear following an expose that was done by Television Jamaica highlighting the number of children who, for one reason or another, were not attending school.

“It was brought to the attention of the Clarendon Inter-Agency Network (CIAN) last month and coming out of a discussion, we realised that it is not a children’s issue; it’s really a bigger issue than that and therefore, some level of social intervention is needed in the Rocky Point community,” Baldvin McKenzie, co-chair of CIAN told the stakeholders who met online on Wednesday to strategise.

Arthur Coleman, president of the Rocky Point Benevolent Society, in highlighting the issues the community faces, said it has been a long-standing problem. He stressed the need for better parenting, greater control of the children, and social interventions from all the agencies in the parish.

MAKE AN IMPACT

“We need to enforce and arrest this long-standing problem; it’s a sore eye for Rocky Point,” he said while expressing confidence in the group being able to make an impact in the community.

Winston Maragh, mayor of May Pen and councillor for the area, said the community has evolved over the years to the state that it is now in – a negative one.

Commenting on the survey, Maragh said it also shows that many parents don’t care whether their children go to school or not.

“If you go on the beach on any given day, you will see them walking up and down because it is the belief that they can make a money from the beach and the boats coming in, so they don’t have to bother to go to school,” he said.

The problem, noted Maragh, is also compounded by those who migrate from the community and “send back money or return to live big”, giving the impression that you can make it without education. He said that that, too, must be addressed.

Maragh added that a thorough parenting programme will have to be explored, among other measures.

Member of Parliament for the community, Pearnel Charles Jr, weighed in on the issue by pointing out that the development of Rocky Point is not just important to Clarendon South East, but to the entire country.