The Opposition Barbados Labour Party has described the new child-maintenance fund as “a quick fix”, and is calling for something more long-term to ease the trauma of single mothers in particular.Speaking today in Parliament on the resolution to grant $400 000 from the Consolidated Fund to create a fund from which magistrates’ courts would draw maintenance fees for mothers on behalf of delinquent fathers, Opposition Member of Parliament Gline Clarke said while he did not oppose the resolution, it was a stop-gap measure being brought to the House “on the eve of an election”.He said Government had spoken about this fund nearly three years ago through then Attorney General Freundel Stuart and had also announced it in this year’s Financial Statement and Budgetary proposals, but more information was needed by way of a clearly enunciated Government policy.Clarke also said it was necessary to send a signal across the society that parents and guardians must at all times have the capacity to support their children.
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