Totally out of order!
This is how Chairman of the National Assistance Board (NAB), Senator Rev. Dr David Durant described the August 21st article “Durant: Pay cash for babies”, published in another section of the press.
Since then, he has received backlash for the report which stated that he suggested that Barbados may have to consider giving a monetary incentive to married couples to have more children.
“I was called and asked just about a couple of stats for the elderly, which I gave. So just by the side after that we were discussing what we need to do for this problem that we are facing. My conversation was not meant to be in the press,” he told the 36th Anniversary Church Service of the
NAB at Restoration Ministries International, as he took the opportunity to make it clear that he did not make such a statement to the journalist.
“I was shocked. As a matter of fact my mouth dropped, when I saw it in the newspaper the next day.”
Dr Durant said that he actually told the journalist that it would be good to give some incentives.
“Money never came out of my mouth,” he stressed.
“Whenever you talk to people about getting children, they say it is too expensive. Therefore, a good way of trying to encourage that maybe is to give some incentives. I didn’t mean money because we don’t have it. It could be given in the form of tax reliefs; more tax reliefs for couples who are getting children. Or maybe during the first six month pampers are provided by the government, or baby milk is supplied for the first six months… I was just offering a few different solutions for us to look at because it is problem we have address anyhow in the future.”
The NAB Chairman also said that if the journalist had said they preferred that conversation and wanted to report on it, he would have explained it differently. He told the congregation that he did not want to come over as discriminating against people who are having children out of wedlock.
“As a matter of fact, I am one who was born out of wedlock,” he revealed.
“As a matter of fact, this church supports young people who have gotten children outside of wedlock. It is not something we advocate and it is not something I would propagate or even encourage because I want to stand straight on the word of God. But if it happens, then of course every child in country has to be taken care of….If we offer an incentive to married couple of course by extension we have to do the same for those who would be born out of wedlock.”
He added, “I don’t want to blame anyone or any reporter. I think they are doing a good job. But I just want them to have a bit more responsibility and also be a bit more respectful in their reporting so that the level of integrity will maintain.” (TL)
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