Verna protests child marriage at Kiddies mas

During the festivities yesterday St Rose- Greaves crossed the stage in a wedding dress and holding a doll and a sign which read “no child marriage”.

Speaking yesterday with Sunday Newsday via telephone, St Rose-Greaves she said that with the children playing mas and enjoying themselves she felt that it was an “apt time to make a statement”..

“In this place we start doing things and then it drops off the radar. I was just moved to make a statement.” She said in the midst of Carnival a lot of abuse happens and she took the opportunity to send a message.

In January the Miscellaneous Provisions (Marriage) Bill was passed setting the age of marriage to 18 years. Yesterday, St Rose-Greaves said there may be a move to undermine the legislation moving forward.

She stressed that more attention must be paid to legislation for child protection and children need to be a priority.

She also called for the legislation to return to Parliament urgently to tackle other issues that require attention.

She pointed out that there is the criminalising of sexual activity between same sex children which needs to be dealt with. She also pointed out that the issue of emancipated minors needs to be discussed and questioned what would happen to 14-yearolds who have children or living with partners and they are underage. St Rose- Greaves said that in Parliament compromise is needed rather than a win/lose situation.

“Legislation really needs the attention of both sides of the House,” she stressed.

She said she was also planning to have her demonstration at the schools Carnival and in St James “because we cannot go on like this”.