Barbadian fathers to get parenthood leave
By George Alleyne
Men in Barbados will soon
get paternity leave to help take
care of their spouse’s newborn
consistent with the amount
of paid time off from the job
allowed for women after they
give birth.
The proposal is at the stage
of Cabinet, and following
examination there, government
legal drafts persons will
be tasked with drawing up legislation
to support this move in
what officials say should promote
a more wholesome family
environment.
“Coming out of this legislation,
we expect to see socially
better adapted young people…
young people who would have
benefited from input from both
of their parents; young people
who have a better sense of self
because they have seen that
collaborative input into their
rearing; and young people who
are better able, therefore, to
contribute to the development
of society and reduce waywardness
in our society,” said Minister
of Labor, Colin Jordan on
Tuesday, Feb. 25.
“The paternity leave will be
statutory, like maternity leave.
It is our proposal that it will be
paid leave as well. Our proposal
further is that it will be taken
around the time of birth … no
later than a few months after
birth.”
He dismissed the liklihood
of male abuse of this provision,
explaining that the frequency
with which paternity leave is
taken will mirror what obtains
for maternity leave.
“So that the potential for
abuse will be mitigated. There
is still the obligation, for example,
Caribbean L 28 ife, March 6-12, 2020
to notify the employer at
some point in time before that
leave is requested; then you
outline…the period of time
that the leave is needed for,”
Jordan stated.
Against a backdrop of a common
regional perception that
Barbadian and other Caribbean
men are irresponsible and polymagous,
he said an underlying
philospohy behind the
coming legislation is “wanting
to change what some perceive
to be a mindset that men are
just people who go around and
drop stuff all over the place and
don’t take their responsibility
seriously.”
Jordan made clear that the
current Barbadps government
did not hold this view
and by enacting legislation it
was demonstrating a desire to
assist men in honouring their
responsibility as fathers.
He said that government’s
views paternity leave as, “a provision
that says to men and to
fathers, ‘you have a role in the
raising and rearing and training
of your child; you are not
just a sperm producer’”.
While goverenment is now
moving towards legal provision
of paid leave for fathers when
their spouses give birth, many
in society have long been clamouring
for this legislation, and
the largest phone company on
the island last year unilaterally
introduced it into employment
conditions.
Director of the Bureau of
Gender Affairs, Patricia Boyce,
has said, “research has shown
that father and baby bonding
actually improves a father’s
ability to care for his children
in the long term, and means he
is more engaged and involved
as a parent.”
She added, “some women and
men, particularly some firsttime
fathers, are often afraid
to take up and hold a newborn
baby in the very early stages.
But research has shown that
being a father who is around
in the early stages gives lasting
confidence in caregiving.”
Barbados Minister of Labor, Colin Jordan.
Photo by George Alleyne