Top left: Mrs. Lorraine Duvalier, Assistant Director, Department of Social Services and member of the Child Protection Committee (right) and Ms. L. Andrea Whyte, Lieutenant-Governor of the Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas, hang out together prior to the start of the movie "For the Love of A Child." The Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas and Galleria Cinemas West were the major sponsors for Movie Night;
Top right: Members of the Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas (Kiwanis Sunshine Bahamas) turned out in full force;
Bottom left: Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin (centre) and her delegation arriving for Movie Night at Galleria Cinemas West.
Bottom right: Mrs. Jonquill Neymour (right) of the Child Protection Unit, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Services and Community Development and Chairperson of the Child Protection Month's Movie Night Committee, welcomes Director of Social Services, Ms. Melanie Zonicle to Movie Night. Movie Night is one of several events planned to commemorate Child Protection Month in The Bahamas. (BIS Photos by Matt Maura and Raymond Bethel, Sr.)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas – Studies have confirmed that there is a direct link between
child abuse and a greater risk in later life for alcohol and substance abuse,
depression, eating disorders, obesity, sexual promiscuity, suicide, family
violence and criminal behaviour, Minister of Social Services and Community
Development, the Hon. Melanie Sharon Griffin said.
“Preventing child abuse, therefore, requires everyone
working together as our theme for 2015 promotes. When children are exposed to
any form of child abuse, the results can be devastating to their development,”
Mrs. Griffin said. “Greater success can be realized through partnerships
between social service agencies, healthcare professionals, schools, businesses,
law enforcement agencies, faith-based organizations and the community at-large.
No one agency can tackle child abuse on its own.”
Mrs. Griffin said as a result, Bahamians have a collective
responsibility to nurture and protect all of the country’s children to ensure
that they become healthy and productive adults.
Mrs. Griffin’s comments came while addressing “Movie Night”
which was hosted by officials from the Ministry of Social Services and
Community Development, the Department of Social Services, the Child Protection
Committee, the Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas and Galleria Cinemas who all teamed
up to host children from five of New Providence’s children’s homes to a movie
premiere at Galleria Cinemas West, whose officials provided one of its theatres
free of charge for the second consecutive year.
The collaboration on Movie Night continued the partnership
between the Ministry and Kiwanis that has lasted for more than fifty years.
That partnership began in the early sixties with the construction of The
Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel, and continues today. The Hostel has been
managed by Kiwanis since 1970, covering a period of 45 years.
Minister Griffin said the construction and management of the
Bahamas Children's Emergency Hostel should be recorded as one of the greatest
success stories in the history of the Kiwanis Clubs in the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas.
Mrs. Griffin said the organization's work in The Bahamas,
especially with regards to its assistance "with the many vulnerable groups
and institutions" that fall under the mandate of the Ministry of Social
Services and Community Development, "has been truly legendary."
In addition to their association with the Bahamas Children's
Emergency Hostel and the other Children’s Homes, the Clubs' other involvements
with the Ministry include the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged, the Simpson Penn
Centre for Boys and Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls.
During Movie Night children from the Bilney Lane School,
Children’s Emergency Hostel, Coleby House, Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home
and the Ranfurly Home, in addition to others from the Urban Renewal Programme,
were treated to an evening at the movies where they were able to watch the
movie “For the Love of a Child.”
Movie Night was one of a number of events planned to promote
Child Protection Month across The Bahamas. Events have been scheduled for all
of the inhabited Family Islands during the month of April.
The event provided child protection officials with an
opportunity to make the children aware of their rights as children and to
educate them about child abuse in its variety of forms “by using a medium all
children can relate to.”
Minister Griffin said the partnership between her Ministry
and its departments, the Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas (Kiwanis Sunshine
Bahamas), and Galleria Cinemas, was a template for the kind of collaboration it
is going to take to put an end to child abuse in The Bahamas.
The Ministry also partners with the National Child
Protection Council (NCPC), the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Unit of
the Ministry of Health and Department of Public Health, the Royal Bahamas
Police Force, and the Urban Renewal Programme among governmental and
non-governmental organizations to address child abuse issues throughout The
Bahamas.
Kiwanis Clubs of The Bahamas Lieutenant Governor
Ms. L. Andrea Whyte, said her organization has been “honored to have worked
hand-in-hand with The Ministry of Social Services.
“The Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel has
been a safe place for children since its inception [and] we have continued to
work with all of the children's homes over the years and boast a 100%
commitment to serving the children of The Bahamas.
“Last year, we forged this awesome partnership
with the Child Protection Committee to host children from the community and
institutions to a movie night. As Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis Bahamas, I am
delighted to yet another year be able to sponsor the children at this event.
Our participation proves our commitment to the welfare of our children.
“This year's Child Protection Month theme, ‘Working
Together to Stop Child Abuse,’ symbolizes our partnership with Social Services;
and on behalf of all of the Kiwanis clubs, I congratulate Minister Griffin and
the entire Social Services team for a job well done. We look forward to
continued partnership and an even greater event next year,” Lieutenant-Governor
Whyte added.