Opposition warns of dangers of Status of Children Act
The Bill was brought before the House of Assembly by Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Ronnie W. Skelton. In commencing the debate today during the Fifth Sitting of the Third Session of the Second House of Assembly, Hon Skelton said the people of the Territory have been negligent in the treatment of children and it traces back to history. He said it has no place in a modern society.
He said that the time now come for the Virgin Islands to stand shoulder to shoulder with others in the Caribbean that have already passed similar legislation.
The Minister pointed out that a study done between 1995 and 1997 showed that 58 percent of children were born out of wedlock and hence considered illegitimate. He said a similar study done between 2008 and 2010 showed the figure had increased to 63 percent.
He noted that the Bill will affect significant portion of children in the Virgin Islands and mentioned that the Bill comes to the House after extensive study and consultation.
“Let us begin the process of ending discrimination against children by implementing this Act. It is time for us as a community [to stop] labeling children as illegitimate. I urge all members of the House to support this Bill,” he said.
Member for the Second District Hon J. Alvin Christopher said that he know many persons who were opposed to this law and that most of the arguments he heard have been from a biblical perspective.
He pointed out that the action of conception and the action of birth are two different actions, hence the children should not be punished for the perceived “sin” of the parents.
Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr the Hon Kedrick D. Pickering said that the Bill had his support. “Nothing in life is stagnant. For us today to have illegitimate and legitimate and lawful and unlawful [children]…we are a little bit behind the 8th ball to have laws on our books that discriminate against children,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition Hon Ralph T. O’Neal OBE spoke of schools not accepting enrolment of illegitimate children; dividing an estate; and about being baptized on a different day from legitimate children.
“It is time to stop that kind of unevenness because I believe that everybody must live. One brother or sister cannot get all and leave the others there to get nothing,” said Hon O’Neal in reference to inheritance. “It is time Madam Speaker for us to look after the children. It is so unfair for the children to be punished for what people may consider the wrong things their parents might have done,” he said.
Representative for the Third District Hon Julian Fraser RA made the point that the House must be careful with the legislation. “What exactly are we hoping to accomplish with this law? There are serious downsides as well,” he said.
He said illegitimacy comes in various shapes and forms and went on to briefly describe some of them. But he spoke of a new development, speaking of the gold diggers out there. “The gold is called land,” said Hon Fraser. “How does the mover of this motion intend to deal with situations like this? We have to make sure we don’t create some wrongs out of the things that are right,” he said.
“In making the child legitimate, does the mother become a wife or man become a husband? We need to be cognizant of the problems that we are going to create [by the Bill],” he said. “This piece of legislation needs to deal with all the issues, such as a man who might have made a will and leave out a child,” he said.
Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn during his contribution to the debate stressed that the Bill not only addresses inheritance but also some pressing social problems in the country. He said that the Territory is behind the 8th ball since many countries in the Caribbean already have similar legislation from as far back as the 1970s.
He said that the wife’s portion in an estate is not put in jeopardy with the Bill. He said it ensures that the pie is equally divided among all of the children. He said that the Bill will deal with fathers who are trying to get away from their responsibility.
Up to post time the Bill was still being debated in the House.
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9 Responses to “Opposition warns of dangers of Status of Children Act”
We have not made that decision, nor do I think we ever would, unless we continue to allow refugees from those same failed independent island nations outnumber our own British Virgin Islanders.