Director of the Family Support Network (FSN) Dr Sylvia M. Simmonds has revealed that one mother and two underage children were recently put out of their home. Photo: VINO/File

Since the beginning of 2017, the Family Support Network (FSN) has reportedly been seeing a lot of mothers who have either been told to leave the home because the relationship with the spouse is not working out. Photo: VINO/File

In an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online on Tuesday January 2017, Dr Simmonds revealed that one mother and two underage children were recently without a place to call home, but found an apartment this week, however, an additional $600 is still needed to cover the down payment. Similarly, another female with a young child who is struggling to provide for her child on her own is likewise $600 away from completing her education.

She informed that in both cases, the fathers of the children are not willing to provide for their children and the women’s salary are too low to make ends meet. The two have since filed for child support.

Rise in mothers getting the boot from their homes

Dr Simmonds told this news site that since the beginning of the year, FSN has been seeing a lot of mothers who have either been told to leave the home because the relationship with the spouse is not working out.”

“So this is the dilemma that some mothers are faced with and if I have to put a percentage on women who come here struggling, we have close to 60-70 percent of women who simply cannot get maintenance or they have applied or they simply can’t. Or some women would say that they are not going to bother to apply because no matter what you do the court doesn’t enforce it.

“We trust that the laws will change and if they could guard the paychecks and tie it also into their driver’s license I think that we might have a little more fathers being more responsible even by force to pay something towards the upkeep of their children.”

Stop having children? Easier said than done

Dr Simmonds remarked that often persons would say that these women should stop having children, but in reality, it is easier said than done.

“… If he say he is not wearing condoms, and you are not going to take birth control, people say it is ludicrous, it’s your body, it’s easy to say than do. It has women who struggle and say I am not ready for kids we are not in that position, but he wants one because he loves her and she must show her love to him.”

Young lady wanting to complete her education commendable

Dr Simmonds said the young lady aforementioned, is only three classes short of finishing her programme of studies and if she doesn’t finish it and she pushes it off too long, she might have to start all over again and that’s not fair.

“We were able to get some assistance but we still need a few more dollars so she could finalise her final tuition and register for her class so she could graduate this June. These are the things that we feel good about, when we find clients who are willing to work for themselves in spite of what’s going on with them. I wish there were more people who are willing to do a little more for themselves.”

Delinquent fathers should work even while imprisoned

Meanwhile, the host of Speak out BVI on 780 AM ZBVI on Tuesday January 24, 2017, Doug Wheatley, shared similar concerns, adding that one lady expressed to him regarding the state sending delinquent fathers to the penal facility in Balsam Ghut.

He said the lady believes fathers should be allowed to work while imprisoned to care for their children.

“One lady approached me almost with tears in her eyes and she was talking about the policy on child support payments,” Wheatley said.

According to the woman, Mr Wheatley said, it is her understanding that delinquent fathers are still being taken before the court and if they are not able to pay up whatever is owed, that they are sent up to Balsam Ghut and she thinks that this is very inhumane because she said that if they are up at prison, they will not be working and will not able to provide for their children.

“She thinks that if they are being sent to [Her Majesty’s Prison] Balsam Ghut, some provision should be made for them to work and get paid for the work they do so they are able to help with their responsibilities towards their children,” Mr Wheatley shared.