Dear Editor,
Help JA Children (HJC) continues to be concerned about the ambiguity surrounding the role of the Child Development Agency (CDA) in the care and protection of the nation's most vulnerable children.
We consider this concern even more pressing as the Public Services Commission prepares to appoint a new CEO of the agency and more and more children continue to be in desperate need of care and protection.
Unless the country is provided with a clarification of the CDA's role, the agency is almost certainly asking any new CEO appointed to embark on a fool's errand. Without a clear clarification of its role, the CDA will invariably continue to fail our children, a luxury the nation can ill afford.
HJC wrote to the CDA's Chairman Maxine Henry-Wilson over a year ago seeking clarification. We were promised a timely response, but that has not materialised. We reiterated that call at a press conference earlier this year, and have still yet to receive any response.
We consider this delay and silence unacceptable and indicative of ignorance as to what precisely the CDA is charged with. We now urge Minister Hanna to direct the board to ensure that prior to any announcement of a new CEO, the roles and responsibilities are properly clarified. We believe this is the only way the CDA will play any meaningful role in caring for, and protecting Jamaica's children.
Brandon Allwood
allwoodb@helpjachildren.org
CDA's role must be made clear
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Help JA Children (HJC) continues to be concerned about the ambiguity surrounding the role of the Child Development Agency (CDA) in the care and protection of the nation's most vulnerable children.
We consider this concern even more pressing as the Public Services Commission prepares to appoint a new CEO of the agency and more and more children continue to be in desperate need of care and protection.
Unless the country is provided with a clarification of the CDA's role, the agency is almost certainly asking any new CEO appointed to embark on a fool's errand. Without a clear clarification of its role, the CDA will invariably continue to fail our children, a luxury the nation can ill afford.
HJC wrote to the CDA's Chairman Maxine Henry-Wilson over a year ago seeking clarification. We were promised a timely response, but that has not materialised. We reiterated that call at a press conference earlier this year, and have still yet to receive any response.
We consider this delay and silence unacceptable and indicative of ignorance as to what precisely the CDA is charged with. We now urge Minister Hanna to direct the board to ensure that prior to any announcement of a new CEO, the roles and responsibilities are properly clarified. We believe this is the only way the CDA will play any meaningful role in caring for, and protecting Jamaica's children.
Brandon Allwood
allwoodb@helpjachildren.org
CDA's role must be made clear
-->