Dr. Little-White Recommends Implementation of Family Council System

Convener of the Values and Attitudes Secretariat, Dr. Heather Little -White, has recommended the implementation of the family council system in Jamaica, as part of the process of inculcating proper values and attitudes in the society.
She explained that the family council, which would operate as part of the social welfare system, would “set policies and provide guidance and compliance on social, moral and economic issues directly impacting the family.”
Social issues would include the preservation of traditional values in public schools, responsible citizenship, parental rights and responsibilities, while moral issues would speak to matters such as the sanctity of life, obscenity, pornography, homosexuality and teenage sexuality.
Countries such as Singapore, Australia and Vietnam have adopted the use of family councils, Dr. Little-White said, as she addressed the HEART/Trust NTA’s Values Icon of the Year award ceremony held recently at the Hilton Kingston hotel.
She noted that unless Jamaicans “embrace personal and social values, as a people, we will be doomed in the quest to meet our national goals for development.”
The Convener pointed out that in embracing proper values and attitudes, “we will come full circle and recognize the family as a unit of society in which parents and caregivers can teach values and attitudes to children”.
“Children ought to be raised by a community and each and every child ought to be the responsibility of community elders,” she noted, adding that children in turn, ought to have respect for these community elders.
Dr. Little-White said further, that the church had an essential role to play in character development.
“Jamaica’s strength is in the church and the vital role it plays in establishing the foundation for moral beliefs and practices for the young and old alike, because of its immense influence in encouraging proper ethics and values,” she emphasized.
The Values Icon of the Year awards seeks to recognize employees of the HEART/Trust NTA, who have displayed exemplary values and attitudes while on the job.
Values Icon of the Year was Gregory Wint of the Jamaica German Automotive School, who received several awards and development opportunities valued in excess of $500,000.