Kingston, Jamaica (Mckoy’s News) – CDA Pushing For Law: Jamaica’s Child Development Agency (CDA) is pushing for law banning Children from selling on the streets or in markets.
Ban of using children to sell on the streets would be an addition to the Childcare and Protection Act, which prohibits anyone from allowing a child in their custody to beg. Parents and adult found doing so can be arrested and charged.
Tanya Chambers of the CDA made a submission for this law on Tuesday, May 9 to a parliamentary committee reviewing Jamaica’s sex offences laws.
In the submission, the CDA laid out studies showing that among minors labeled as street children, many are used by their parents to sell goods along roadsides or markets. The agency’s argument is that children used as street vendors, risk abuse from the persons including pedestrians and motorist.
CDA pointed out that throughout the Corporate Areas and across many town centres, children are seen during the schooldays and weekends pushing handcarts with goods selling. CDA’s 2002 survey showed at that time over 6, 500 children live and work on the streets of Jamaica.
Delroy Chuck, Minister of Justice, and chairman of the committee instructed the CDA to meet with the legal reform committee regarding the Child Development Agency’s recommendation.
