The Maintenance of Children Act which seeks to improve the existing provisions relating to the obligations of parents to maintain their child/children was passed in Parliament on Tuesday.
A parent who may be taken to court is now ordered to pay a minimum of $75 weekly for child maintenance.
Minister for National Security, Senator Rayburn Blackmoore who was speaking during the debate of the Maintenance of Children Bill said $75.00 is the lowest the court can go in assigning an order in so far as the maintenance of a child is concerned.
“Mr. Speaker, you would know that over the years, more so now, we are seeing the rising inflation and the consequential impact on the cost of living,” he said. “And when we came to that minimum of $75.00 it wasn’t done arbitrarily…”
Blackmoore continued, “What we did was sent to the Ministry of Social Services, so therefore there was a certain element of scientific data that had to be correlated and assist in arriving at a reasonable minimum.”
He stated, for example, the syllabus of students is changing every year.
“The syllabus changes every year, the number of books a child has to carry today to go to school and the cost or prices of those books Mr. Speaker are ridiculously high,” Blackmoore remarked. “Seventy-five dollars a week for a child…”
He said there may be situations where the parent might not be able to afford to do that, “but what the law does is to broaden the ability of the court to look at the circumstances of that parent in so far as your ability is to support that child.”
Furthermore, he pointed out that there are some people who may have money hidden and others who may have their pensions, “ And Section 12 in this Bill provides a specific facility which we call an attachment to that pension or any income that person may have to ensure that an order of the court as far as the maintenance of the child is concerned can be effective.”
He commended the people involved in the process to ensure that we have a holistic Bill, “looking at all the loopholes, the crevices and to close them.”
“And I think this government and all the people who have been involved in the process thus far must be commended for that,” Blackmoore stated. “So I call on all of us to pay attention to Section 25 of this Bill.”
He explained that Section 25 of the Bill provides the court with specific power and facility to prevent men from “taking off” overseas to evade a court order in so far as child maintenance is concerned.
Blackmoore further explained that after this Bill is enacted and the court has effected an order for the parent to maintain a child, “the court can stop you and put you in the calaboose.”
The law and more specifically the law makers
I agree, the amendment should have been made for a maximum and not a minimum.
The previous law indicated a maximum of $75 per week and did not stipulate a minimum. Evaluations were performed to verify the financial status of a man. the new bill should have indicated a maximum (example 150 a week).
So many men won’t be able to afford this. What if a man is making $1,400 a month and has 3 children? Would that mean $900 in child maintenance, and $500 for himself to cover his rent, bills transportation to work, groceries etc? Does the economy (job availability and pay scale) empower men to meet these obligations? Many may have to take jail or forced to find some alternative source of income, hopefully legal and not illegal.
I think that $40, $50, or $60 a week (based on financial status of the father) is better suited for the child rather than the father being in jail, given the economic situation in Dominica.
Boy you doe live in Dominica,if you do you are a liar.In September 2021 less that two years ago the government raised the minimum wage by ,in some cases 100%.No jobs in Dominica,ha only a lazy UWP bum would say such a thing.We gave our lands to foreigners,they are getting rich while we sit on the roadside listening to UWP gossip,fake news and propaganda.Dominica has the laziest young people in the Caribbean.Just imagine a lazy UWP giving his land to a Haitians,and buying 3 mangoes from that Haitians for $5.
100% eh? Firstly, you haven proven on thousands occasions before that you are not right in your head. Secondly, 100% of next to nothing isn’t much. Solid figures are the sworn enemy of this government, the CM and propaganda amateurs like yourself.
Chi- chi you are just a Jacka.Blackmore,Skerrit and Vince CANNOT make laws.A bill is brought before the house and debated.It is read three(3) times,supported by the majority of the elected members of the house.That is what is called the I’s have it.The bill is them sent to the President to be SIGNED into law.The (2) foreign aholes Francisco and IBO should educate you.Jacka.
Blackmoore, you of all people should be quiet about this issue. You and Austrie must be one of the biggest offenders in DA.
What about the parents who take the.money and don’t maintain the child properly? What provision was made for that loophole? Please empower the people Instead of holding them down. What good is a man in the calaboose when a child needs maintaining?
Can free paternity testing be done for every child birth?
I believe it is only fair if this Bill is to be imposed on men. 40% or more children are given to the wrong fathers these days, so… let us be fair.
Also, in the reverse situation, where the mother is the high income earner, and the father is piss poor, I do hope that this balances out the who pays what.
Otherwise, I see this bill as an attack on men.
Well nuff fellas going take jail..because I know it doe have Job in that country ..well look it
@Gregory
My point exactly. In this type of economy with no jobs, enough males will end up in Stockfarm.
So does that mean people already receiving less will it increase? What you guys need to do is salary deduction cause some of them man not paying the money when they get it. Every year it should increase for my part!
Blackmore is my good buddy,but he talking 4kries.Man spending more than $75 every week drinking rum and smoking weed.De man doe know about children.Children doe eat or drink anything,because you eating fig ,cockoi,yampen and Dasheen you going and give de child that.One tin of infa milk is $125 a half pound.So what about when the child have to go to doctor for checkup?Is a good thing Blackmore sister in law raise his children in DC.That is if Blackmore know what a booty is.
The bill is not bad but it was rushed. There should have been a national conversation, DNA should be a must because we have some people in top positions and they have so many fathers that they don’t know who is their real father. But credit to some of those mothers that know they had 5 or 6 men and therefore they didn’t know who is the father so they just carrying their mothers last name
The first thing you nincompoop should raise is the wages Dominicans receive. How can you talk about inflation but disregard that salaries need to be raised across the board. When we have jobs and fair pay we can pay child support and the court can ask for more child support. These fools always penny wise pound foolish
But papa God, see Dominica law makers nou? Bodier we finish wii. So Blackmore, Skerrit, Vince and others are our law makers?
I agree with this law in part but in my humble opinion I feel it should make provision to ensure that our men and fathers are employed and their employers are given the responsibility to deduct the amount from salaries just like we do with social security and tax. How could you force the father to pay when he is not working and government taking jobs from them and give to foreigners? Do we expect them to steal or force them to do drugs? This law is hypocritical in my opinion
Good 👍 that’s a step in the right direction. That is for the child and the child only. If child don’t need it save it.