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  • 1 year ago

Government gets a pounding for blanking today's Single Fathers Association march, despite ministers promising to be there.
The Association hosted Men of Purpose;.. a march highlighting social issues affecting males in the country.
It attracted a sizeable crowd... but a no-show by the ministers advertised to attend.
Alicia Boucher has the story.
Transcript
00:00More than 100 people, their jerseys impotent with their message, as men and boys, supported
00:09by women and girls, marched from the Brian Lara Promenade to the Queen's Park Savannah.
00:14The men of purpose event also garnered regional support from countries like Grenada, Anguilla
00:19and Sint Kitts and Nevis.
00:21It was done in partnership with the government, and the absence of ministers at the event,
00:25two of whom were on the flyer, didn't go unnoticed by President of the Fathers Association, Rondell
00:31Fields.
00:32The fact that we have ministers from all over the region, and none from Trinidad, says something,
00:38I don't need to say nothing again.
00:39The fact that they are not here, the fact that they are not present, the fact that they
00:42are not telling men that you are a valuable part of society, you're surprised, you see
00:47in the little young boy, who don't understand his value of purpose, picking up a gun and
00:50following a gang leader, who giving him a sneakers and telling him he love him, you're
00:54surprised?
00:55When our leaders ourselves can't make themselves present to show men and boys, we have the
00:59Spanish community here as well, they're not here, what am I to do, stay silent and say
01:04nothing?
01:05According to Fields, some of the delegates were even invited by the ministers.
01:10Permanent secretaries were present, and while Fields says he appreciates their attendance,
01:15he is of the view that the event provided a platform for ministers to make a positive
01:19impact on males, including those that are young and impressionable.
01:24Not even a member of parliament, but they will see us next year, you know.
01:28When they call for men to come to the ballot box, they will hear me speak next year, you
01:33understand?
01:34Because that is when we seem to have value, that is when we seem to have importance.
01:38TV6 News reached out to Gender Affairs Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy, who was named as a speaker
01:44at the event.
01:45She tells us, Fields was made aware from day one that she would not be able to attend,
01:50as she had a prior engagement in her constituency of Tobago East.
01:55Despite knowing that, she says, he still proceeded to place her name on the flyer.
02:00Webster-Roy is set to return to Trinidad from Tobago on Sunday night.
02:04We are awaiting a response from Energy Minister Stuart Young.
02:08Minister of Gender Affairs in Grenada, Glory-Ann Thomas, calls the initiative an important
02:13one for bringing awareness and sensitization to the public.
02:17She says men are often left behind.
02:40As the country looks ahead to International Men's Day on November 19, Fields believes
02:45the vulnerability of men is seldom highlighted.
02:48He says there is a desire to fix men, but not to help them.
02:52So I am proud of the men who have come out today to show that we are men and to show
02:56that we love our society and we need assistance too, we need help too, we need love too, we
03:01need validating too.
03:02Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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