Eucharistic Minister Hails Jamaican Mothers, Says They Endure More Than Their Fair Share
Eucharistic Minister Hails Jamaican Mothers, Says They Endure More Than Their Fair Share
National honoree for business and philanthropy Joe Issa, who employs many women in his Cool Group of companies, one of a handful of large corporations to locate their headquarters in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, is hailing all Jamaican mothers, as they celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, 2017, stating that they have endured more than their fair share.
National honoree for business and philanthropy Joe Issa, who employs many women in his Cool Group of companies, one of a handful of large corporations to locate their headquarters in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, is hailing all Jamaican mothers, as they celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, 2017, stating that they have endured more than their fair share.
“I wish all Jamaican mothers a Happy Mother’s Day! I also wish for them continued strength and imagination as they continue to endure more than their fare share in bringing up the countries next generation,” said Issa, in an interview.
He adds, “In fact, in most cases they raise their children all by themselves, and where, by comparison, a man would wobble doing so, women tend to walk a straight path, begging the question: where do they get the strength to endure so much?”
According to the Statistics Institute of Jamaica, most Jamaican households are traditionally headed by women, a phenomenon which is believed to have given birth to the popular phrase: “My Mother Who Fathered Me”.
Also, the little or no attention given by many fathers to their children’s well-being, particularly their progress at school has created the intuitive saying that “Lunch Money Alone Is Not Enough”.
Contending that in fact, many fathers don’t even provide the lunch money, Issa said, “That cannot be acceptable, as many children, who are the country’s future labour force are going to school on ‘hungry belly’.”
It’s not the first time that Issa is raising the issue of the lack of support given to mothers by fathers. As a member of the past president’s advisory committee of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, Issa has urged fathers “to not only provide the lunch money for your children, but to also take an interest in their school work and let them feel your love and affection.”
Noting that Mother’s Day provides a great opportunity to show support for mothers, Issa urges all guilty fathers, as well as sons and daughters, “to right their wrong on Sunday and recommit to playing their role in support of mothers.”
For those in the Diaspora Issa, who is also a Eucharistic Minister of the Roman Catholic Church, suggests an annual pilgrimage of fathers and children to pay homage to mothers in Jamaica, positing that “a well-supported motherhood in Jamaica could make a positive difference in our future crime rate and quality of workforce.”