Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas is advocating for laws to be enacted that would compel 'deadbeat dads' to pay court-imposed child maintenance through the garnishment of their wages.

Responding to a caller to his weekly radio program "Ask the PM" on Tuesday, Dr. Douglas agreed that perhaps the legal system should go further in ensuring persons lived up to their financial commitments toward children.

"Maybe it is time for us to go further and impose a law that ensures that once the child has been determined to be the child of the father, the father should have from his salary or wages the appropriate deduction made at the source of payment, for the child's maintenance. I really think that the time has come for us to do something definitive about this matter. The Ministry of Social Services, Community and Gender Affairs will have to become much more alive and alert in looking at new initiatives and measures to protect our children."

Under the current legal system a man can be taken before the court, and once paternity is determined or not challenged, a weekly/monthly payment would be imposed as child maintenance. The amount could start from as little as $25 per week, and is based on consideration of factors such as the father's earnings, other financial obligations and expenses, as well as the mother's financials. Once a father fails to pay the sum, the mother could take the matter to court and a warrant would be issued for the man's arrest. If he fails or refuses to make restitution, an offender can be sentenced to up to six months in prison. Even after serving the sentence, the father would still be legally obligated to pay the child maintenance arrears.

In the U.S., wage garnishment is often made a provision in child support orders. In 1998, the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act was passed making it a felony for parents, who are either a year behind in payments or whose outstanding payments exceed $5,000, to cross state lines to avoid payments. Also, parents who owe at least $10,000 or have not made payments for at least two years risk up to two years in prison, fines, and would still be liable for unpaid child support.

Addressing the issue of men opting to serve time in prison as opposed to paying child maintenance, the PM decried those individuals as "worthless" and said it was shameful for men to behave in such a manner.

"It is just downright worthlessness and indecency, and shameful for men to behave simply as sperm donors and not even continue their responsibilities beyond impregnating a woman to look after the children when they are born," he said.
Dr. Douglas urged women to be more selective when choosing whom they would have children with, however he acknowledged that some men shirk their responsibilities only after the relationship with the mother ended.

"I want to say to the women that you have to become more careful and selective in those kinds of men that you are choosing to be partners, and to get you pregnant. Sometimes everything is okay but as soon as the relationship goes sour the father stops supporting the child, and he prefers to go to prison than to allow his own child to eat, and while he is in prison he is eating. Something has to be wrong there. It is criminal and it is wrong."

Dr. Douglas hypothesized that this type of breakdown in the family is one of the causative factors in the spate of criminal and other anti-social behaviors being exhibited by the nation's youth in recent times.

"We are now saying that it is a breakdown in the family that is responsible to a large extent for the high level of criminal and anti-social behavior that we are having among our children. Of course it is not the only reason, but it is certainly a main contributor to the problem that we are experiencing today."

He vowed to discuss the matter with the new Minister of Health and Social and Gender Services, Hon. Marcella Liburd, to arrive at new initiatives to combat those types of social ills.