TT behind on family/work issues

I refer to my re-discovery today that there remains no policy for Paternity Leave in Trinidad and Tobago, according to the Gender and Child Division at the Office of the Prime Minister. I expect laughter and derision in some quarters for raising this, however consider a mother who has just had a C section as one example, who may not have the support of others beside her significant other? How does the lack of a policy help that family? Since there is no policy, anything can happen.

If, as has actually happened, a man takes the four (4) days leave offered at some workplaces, but this is rescinded, he is considered to have been “absent” for four days of work.

I will refrain from mentioning the names of those workplaces. Why is this even important? I will borrow from a May 2015 article in the Economist to highlight that research suggests that enabling fathers to look after their newborn children has positive knock-on effects such as: Fathers who take paternity leave are more likely to take an active role in child-care tasks. This early interaction has longer-term benefits for a child’s learning abilities. It lessens the long-term effects on women’s careers. If our society can only see the benefit of supporting policies that enhance the ability of our families to thrive, I believe that we will not regret it. However, as one friend of mine said when he heard of this issue “it is a man, a beast of burden, who really cares?” We can and should do better....Child and Gender Affairs Division, I look to you.

Marlon Bascombe via email