Fathers Rights in Bermuda.. Do They Have Any?

February 25, 2006

I am writing to you to demand change on an epidemic that is destroying families, fathers, and children right here in our country.

Simply put, the "Family Court" system as it now exists has stripped fathers of their rights to be a part of their children's lives. Instead, fathers have turned into financial pumps, living in constant fear of being dragged back into court by the mother and victimized yet again.

It is fair to say that the Children's Amendment Act of 2002 is biased against the fathers. Children aren't things that you buy off of a shelf in the grocery store. The whole child support system needs to be scrapped, and built up in a manner that the father and mother have equal rights to the child in question.

There is one judge in the family court that is clogging up the jails with fathers that don't pay support. If you take a look down the Prison Farm, you would notice that the majority of men down there are sent there by Judge Chin. It's really hard for a man to go to court and state his case when Judge Chin is leaning to one side……THE WOMAN!!!! I am a woman, and I feel that he is very biased.

This Government has an important role in changing this act. The person who is suffering through this whole ordeal is the child. It's not fair that when I go up on the Bermuda Laws Website there is nothing in there about a "Father's Bill of Rights" or "Fathers Rights". Why is it that a female has the last say when it comes to the care and control of a child? Why is it that she holds all the cards?

Fathers are not treated right in the Bermuda court system. Children need their fathers, as fathers need rights and access to their children. The Bermuda Court System needs to be changed to enable this to occur. Right here in our country, our homeland where we feel justified in wanting to raise our Child (ren) are we being stripped of our rights.

We, as parents have a fundamental right to assume equal periods of placement of our children, unless there is credible evidence that a parent is not fit, that placement would be harmful to the child (ren). This right is fundamental; not that one parent must win as a result of lengthy, intrusive and costly legal battle, or compromised simply to reach a stipulated agreement to avoid a battle.

I hope that this hits home, and you consider a change in the system. This letter will be sent to the Premier, The Governor, The Senate, until somebody in this country stands up and fights for fathers. We need to do more to make sure both parents are fully involved in the raising of their children, particularly fathers. We will start a petition, walk on parliament and call you out. This is just the beginning.