Crawford blasts deadbeat dads

Senator Damion Crawford used his address at the People's National Party's 84th Annual Conference yesterday to blast men who are strong supporters of political parties but provide little or no money to their families.

"I cannot understand how a man can support a party but not support him children. If you don't support your child, you shoulda out of support," he said. "So if you're saying you're a PNP, you must ensure that your child receives your presence and your support."

The senator's sentiments were met with loud cheers and a trumpet of vuvuzelas from the crowd.

Crawford also spoke of the significant role paternity leave can play in levelling the employment playing field in Jamaica and combating social problems.

"When we said paternity leave is because we recognised a social problem in this country. Time has come for the unit of family in this country to be returned to one man and one woman in a household, ensuring that the child has full support."

Beckoning to the crowd Crawford said, "If you want equality for women, you have to do paternity leave for men. In a country with small business, the business start to see our women as a risk to employ because if she pregnant, she would have to be replaced by somebody else. The only way you can make a man and woman equal in employment is if the man is of equal risk to the small business with three and four people."