As more children are killed, Children's Advocate calls for greater State protection

Diahann Gordon Harrison, Jamaica's Children's Advocate, is calling for greater protection of  the country's children.

Data collected by RJR News revealed that 50 children have been murdered in Jamaica since January. This is up from 37 during the corresponding period last year.

Mrs Gordon Harrison, in response, characterised the figure as troubling, declaring that the State has to implement measures to protect children from violence.

She added that parents also have to give greater protection to their children.

She identified "lack of supervision" as a major factor, resulting in children being "in places where they shouldn't be."

Beyond the question of parental responsibility, she observed that there is "a basic decline in the respect for life."

"We have to continue trying to fix the problem," she said.