Resurrect The Village – Minister Grange

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, is encouraging Jamaicans to resurrect the proverbial village to ensure the safety and security of Jamaica’s most vulnerable citizens, its children.

The Minister was speaking at the thanksgiving service for the life of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon at the Spanish Town Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Catherine on Monday (June 9).

The former St John’s Primary School student was found dead at her home on Job Lane in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, on May 9.

Speaking during Kelsey’s funeral, Ms. Grange lamented that her life was cut short by an adult who should have protected her.

“Today, we say goodbye to Kelsey Ferrigon, a dream shattered, a journey cut short, a mind that will never develop, a talent that Jamaica will never benefit from,” Ms. Grange said.

The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for St. Catherine Central, where Kelsey resided, urged Jamaicans to honour Kelsey’s legacy by uniting to protect the nation’s children.

“We, the people of Jamaica, must start a Kelsey Ferrigon campaign that never again should we as a people gather for such a situation as this,” Ms. Grange urged.

She emphasised that it takes a village to raise children and that Jamaicans must return to the shared values that ensure the safety of the most vulnerable in the society.

“In Kelsey’s name, we must commit to resurrecting these values which kept many of us safe in the good old times in Jamaica. When the village raises a child, every child’s safety is placed at the forefront of community life.

When the village raises a child, every child is assured of protection, guidance, and active watchfulness.

“When the village raises a child, everyone’s child is our child. When the village raises a child, the child is able to achieve her or his dreams and ambitions, and not likely to be cut down in the midst of childhood. Rather, the children of the village grow to see the fruit of their efforts, the fulfilment of their ambitions, and the country is assured of its best and most productive citizens,” Ms. Grange maintained.

She urged citizens to be vigilant, to work together to protect Jamaica’s children and to be deliberate in fostering safe environments.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, in her remarks, encouraged Jamaicans not to normalise violence against children.

“Kelsey was always engaged and ready to learn. She’s the epitome of the child that we want to see in our schools. She was a special child. She had so much promise. I know she could have been anything she set her sights on.

Kelsey could have reached the highest heights of achievement,” Senator Morris Dixon lamented.

She pointed out that the pain that has been inflicted on Kelsey’s family and friends is unimaginable, while pledging the Ministry’s support for all the affected children.

“Students, I say to you, you don’t have to bear the pain alone. The Ministry of Education team will work with the schools to provide whatever counselling is needed. Sometimes the children don’t show that they’re affected right away. Sometimes it’s months later. Just know, if they need support, we have psychologists in the Ministry of Education that can work with them. If you’re a parent of one of the children in Kelsey’s class or a family member, there is support that we can give to you to manage this trauma,” the Minister assured.

She also echoed Minister Grange’s call for Jamaicans to resurrect “the village” to protect the nation’s children.

“Let us, as Minister Grange said, commit to being that village that our children need,” Dr. Morris Dixon urged.

Head of the Area 5 Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christopher Phillips, said Kelsey’s tragic death should remind citizens of the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment for children.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our children feel safe, loved, and protected. We cannot afford to pretend that our children are safe when they are not,” he said.

ACP Phillips pointed out that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is “prioritising and paying special attention, extraordinary attention, to every single case involving our children. We must take concrete actions to prioritise the safety and well-being of our children”.

He said that such a tragedy should not be allowed to recur and reiterated the call for citizens to do their part by creating a protective village for the children in their communities.

“Crime cannot flourish in a community that cares. I want to appeal to our people once more to let us care for our children in an extraordinary way,” ACP Phillips urged.

He also appealed to the public to continue to support the police by sharing critical information in a timely manner.

“I hope that today reflects a serious turnaround moment for us to provide information without delay on any case of abuse of our children that you may know about, in honour of Kelsey,” the Area Commander added.