Basseterre, St. Kitts (February 18, 2005): The Mens Relationship Skills Programme for participants from Half Way Tree to St. Pauls was launched last night at Breeze Park Sporting Facility, Newton Ground.
Gender Affairs Director Ingrid Charles Gumbs whose department organizes the event, told SKNIS that the men went expectantly to the meeting and were not disappointed.
Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam Condor and Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Ministry Hon. Nigel Carty, helped set the tone for the series of sessions by grounding with their brothers about male responsibility to their families and society and establishing the fact that dysfunctional relationships are the foundation of anti-social behaviour and societal unrest.
The twelve-week programme which culminates with a night in which the men take their partners to share in the sessions will expose men to the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to build and maintain better relationships with their partners and children.
The first session of the programme which gave men an opportunity to own and articulate their feelings, was highly participatory and ran well over the scheduled closing time. Many of the participants pledged to take other men to next weeks Thursday.
Session two of the Mens Relationship Skills Programme will convene at 7pm next Thursday 24th February. The area of focus for that session will be communication, Part I.
The Department of Gender Affairs anticipates a fruitful twelve weeks of interaction with the men of Rural West as it seeks to enhance national development by working with men.
