Many Jamaicans may be ignorant of the practices that are deemed to be child labour since many of these activities have become norm and 'common sight' in our daily lives.

On the other hand, others may be well aware of such practices but consider it necessity as a means of survival. Therefore, in Jamaica, some of the most visible forms of child labour are almost neglected as they have become so customary, that perhaps, they have become entrenched in the Jamaican livelihood.

Children selling goods such as bag juices, candy, and sweets among other things and of course children begging at traffic lights are all too familiar on the Jamaican roads. There are also more severe cases.

Mrs Marva Pringle-Ximinnies, of the Child Labour Unit of The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, during a recent presentation on June 10, said that child labourers in Jamaica are predominantly male between the ages of 15 to 17 with a 74:26 male to female ratio.

urban and rural poverty

She also stated that the main reasons for child labour include urban and rural poverty, neglect and domestic abuse and peer pressure.

Recently, when the WEEKEND STAR visited the busy commercial district of downtown Kingston, we witnessed several children vendors who were well focused on their tasks at hand, trying to 'get a sale'.

One young boy who was later confirmed to be about 12 years old was selling phone related products including batteries, chargers and phone cases from a trolley on Beckford Street in the district.

One vendor, Lisa, later explained to the WEEKEND STAR why it's vital that her children accompany her to work and to assist since their schools are on holiday break.

Lisa who sells female underwear pointed out that she has been a vendor for 15 years and is a single mother of seven. She said that she struggles sometimes to 'make two ends meet' and so; "when school in session the two bigger ones come help me sell."

She further said; "When me selling someone, dem come and assist in case police come to seize the tarpaulin or dem can collect the money. If me want something nearby in the wholesale dem can go and get it for me, sometime it work out, sometime it don't, but you know that is the ups and down of everything."

run around

She said that her two older children who assist are ages 13 and 11, however, all seven accompany her to work. The younger ones "come and stay with me inna town but dem no really do nothing but run around."

Mary Clarke, director of the Office of the Children's Advocate,in a recent interview with the WEEKEND STAR pointed out that ,while she is not in agreement with child labour practices, as a result of a declining economy, some children have had to work in support of their families. Clarke explained that "children work to subsidise family income with the knowledge of their parents.

She further said that; "With so many adults being laid off, there will be an increase in child labour."

Child labour, Ximinnies said; "Continues to be a problem that requires great resources." At the same time " we need to provide jobs for their parents, maybe the Government needs to do far more than we are doing with the PATH programme, if we can develop programmes to engage these children then we will be well on the road to eliminate child labour."

In an effort to stem the cases of child labour, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be launching public service announcement that will begin airing some time this month to increase consciousness of child labour issues and change attitudes and behaviours towards the practice.

*Name changed