Sports Minister Grange Strident on the Need for Parents and Guardians to be More Vigilant in the Care and Protection of their Children

Although in the midst of what was a happy setting, Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honourable Olivia “Babsy” Grange, felt compelled to warn the parents and guardians in her audience to be more vigilant than ever in the care and protection of their children.
Minister Grange was addressing an awards luncheon on Friday, September 19, put on by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), for pupils of the corporation’s staff who were successful in the GSAT examinations and for students from the parishes of St. James and Portland, for their achievements in punctuality, involvement in extra-curricula activities, academic performance and conduct.
Minister Grange referred to a boy who was brutally killed recently and a girl who went missing a few days go. “Parents, I ask you to look out for your children. Take care of them. Make sure you know where they are at all times,” she urged with passion.
She said that unfortunately the society was plagued by “monsters”, who were prepared to carry out the most nefarious acts against children. “And so we must strive as parents and guardians to be able to answer always in the positive, the question, ‘do you know where your children are?”
The Minister called also for a positive movement in Jamaica, which frowns on mediocrity and champions those individuals who through discipline, hard work and dedication, achieve their goals.
Minister Grange said the show of recognition of the youngsters by the UDC, “is one that I would recommend to Corporate Jamaica as a model to assist in the advancement of our country.”
She said that for Jamaica to truly develop, partnerships had to be forged amongst Government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and the private sector, particularly as it relates to the education and advancement of the young people.
“The Government, with the best will in the world cannot do it alone, but with meaningful partnerships much can be accomplished,” Miss Grange said.
To the young people, the Minister said, “let me congratulate you on what you have achieved. You have begun to reap the rewards of applying yourselves with dedication and I hope the lessons that you learn from this experience are ones that you will bring to all aspects of your lives.”
Warmly received also at the UDC awards function, which was dubbed “Students of Excellence Awards Luncheon”, were Olympians Aileen Bailey and Bobby Gaye Wilkins, who the Minister took along as her special guests. Aileen and Bobby Gaye too received gifts from the UDC.
Minister Grange used the occasion to reiterate how proud the Olympics team did Jamaica. “They firmly established this country of a mere 2.7 million people, as top class, world leaders, in track.”