President of Caribbean Male Action Network [Dominica] (CariMAN) Thomas Holmes has called for men around Dominica to join hands and work together.
“We want boys to come together, we want men to come together, we want young males to come together and talk about issues that challenge them, issues that cause them to do negative things. Let us see what it is that are preventing us from working together,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.
Launched in Dominica in 2009, CariMAN currently has a local membership of about 30 men who aim to have a positive impact on males by providing an open forum for discussion of male concerns.
The organisation is operative in 12 English-speaking countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines,
Holmes insisted, “We need to see change from violence, crime and all other sorts of anti-social behavior. We want to eliminate gender-based violence. We want to see men and women working together”
He noted that the group’s intention is to see men making informed decisions, considering the impact of their choices on their peers and society. According to the president, domestic violence is a major issue to CariMAN because women and girls are being robbed of their pride and dignity as a result. Additionally, men and boys are also being robbed of their masculinity-their manhood by this destructive trend.
The Society is expecting a large number of men and women to participate in their rally being held on International Men’s Day which is Saturday 19 November. The rally takes the form of a march at 12:30 pm beginning at the St Alphonsus Catholic Church in Goodwill to the Convent Preparatory School.
“We want men, young boys and males to make the sacrifice to come out and be part of this. The purpose is to show that you care, to show that you are willing to be men,to show that you are responsible and accountable,” Holmes said.
CariMAN is partnering with the Bureau of Gender Affairs and Dominica National Council of Women to host the affair. Topics on the agenda for discussion on Saturday include prostate cancer and HIV/AIDS.
I´m a pathologist and prostate cancer researcher, member of the Prostate and Prostate Cancer Awareness Group at Facebook and member of the Dominican Diaspora Network. I am interested in the situation of prostate cancer in Dominica.
CariMAN Dominica may be crucial to improve on social issues concerning prostate cancer. I would be glad to support you and discuss on it. My email and Facebook links are: [email protected].
how can i become a member of Cariman?
Join the march and talk with Mr. Holmes