December 22, 2017 – Mckoy’s News (Jamaican News)
Westmoreland, Jamaica –The family of Odane Martin the 7-year-old student of Stratbogie district in Westmoreland who lost his sight in his right eye at the school where he attends in Stratbogie Westmoreland is now demanding justice.
The mother of the child broke down and was too emotional to speak with reporters but other close family members of the child told our news team that since the incident on September 12, 2017, no one has come forward to assist or to speak with them on the matter.
On the day of the incident, the child who is a grade two student at the Unity Primary school was at the institution where he was constantly being bullied by other students. He was being called various names by the students when one of the bullies reportedly use a piece of stick to hit him in his right eye. According to his grandmother, it was hours after the incident when the family were made aware of the incident, yet the school is in viewing distance from their house.
Since then they have been travelling to various medical institutions, several doctor offices and eye specialists in an attempt to save the eye but their attempts have failed. So far it has cost the family over $100,000 in medical bills and still the young child’s future is at stake due to him ended up losing sight in his right eye. The child stated that he is now totally blind in right eye and he is also suffering constant pain. Our news team also travelled to the school in Westmoreland and we were told by the Principal that she has no comment whatsoever towards the incident and that the Ministry of Education is now dealing with the issue.
The family say they are now calling on the School Board, the Minister of Education and the Government of Jamaica to query the matter immediately. They now need urgent assistance to ease the child’s suffering. They also pointed out that since the incident no one from the school or the ministry have visited the child’s house or show any form of remorse towards him and he has been unable to attend school as he is being forced to wear dark glasses since he completed one phase of the costly eye surgery.