‘Children who have a strong male person in their lives will have a better chance at success’ – Kamla Persad-Bissessar
By Prior Beharry
CHILDREN raised by both parents, whether married or unmarried, have a greater chance of success.
This was the statement of United National Congress (UNC) political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. She was speaking on Saturday evening during a meeting of the Star Team contesting the June 26 UNC internal elections at the Swaha College in Sangre Grande.
Speaking on the eve of Father’s Day, Persad-Bissessar said she very much loved her father who was not perfect but was a good and decent man who loved his children.
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She said, “Tonight I tell you the majority of men are good and the majority of fathers are good men.”
Persad-Bisssessar said, “And so this battle of the sexes must be rejected when it comes to raising children. Fathers and mothers are both equally important and necessary in the lives of children.
“Children raised by both parents, married or unmarried, will always have a greater chance of a successful and a happy life.”
The opposition leader said, “Unfortunately, in today’s world, fathers and fatherhood have wrongly come under attack by some radical fourth-wave feminists in their war against the patriarchy, masculinity and what they view as problematic behaviour.
“There is no argument to be made for the small minority of fathers who are negligent and abusive to their families, as a society we must accept that for too long, we have turned a blind eye to the abuses and injustices that many good fathers suffer.”
She said, “Many of these abuses and injustices against willing fathers are allowed to happen because socially and legally when it comes to access to children, the views, the norms, the thinking of people they are skewed towards mothers.”
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Persad-Bissessar said, “Children who have a strong male person in their lives will have a better chance at success.”
She added, “But there are some women who weaponize child custody and access against willing fathers because perhaps, anger and failed romantic relationships and they must be equally condemned as delinquent fathers.”
Persad-Bissessar said she stood with all the willing and good fathers who have been victims of malicious prosecutions and denied access due to the unjust weaponization of child custody and access.
The political leader made reference to UNC Senator Anil Roberts who was in the audience with his daughter and cited him as an example of a father taking care of his child.
She said, “As a society we must stand by our fathers and change the idea that fathers are less nurturing than mothers.
“Today, I say to all willing and supportive fathers who have suffered abuses and injustices in their attempts to be part of their children’s lives, I say to them do not ever give to be a part of the lives of your children.”
Persad-Bissessar said, “As you, I will always love my father dearly, you should love your father too.”
