Father objects to rights of children

By Ilia L Likou 25 January 2017, 12:00AM

“I strongly disagree on the issue that there should be a right of a child in Samoa.”  

So says Kaisala Farani, 55 year old father from the village of Fagali’i-Uta.

Kaisala believes these rights should be stopped.

“If the law is already there, we need to look deeply into it and make immediate action,” he told the Village Voice.

“As a father of six, this isn’t the way should be and I totally disagree with what the government is trying to do.

“Our own Samoan way is very simple - if they don’t listen then we go back to our old ways of discipline.

 “Looking back of how many that were bought up from the rod – yes,  it’s all about the salulima to the back of a child before they were told what they did wrong.”

“And I must confess, I’m one of them.”

“My dad used to smack me around when I did wrong and that really shaped me...growing up with him was really tough but he’s doing it for something else – and that is his love for us to become better people in the future.”

“His love for us to grow with respect and honesty.”

“For today, I pass the same lesson down to my six children, they have jobs with children now, but I still challenge them every day that they need to teach their children the way it should be.”

“As a father this is why I don’t go for this right - the right of a child because if we let them then we’ll see what tomorrow is waiting for us.”

He said that ‘there’s a saying in the bible that we should teach a child while he’s still young.

“That’s what we should do,  we need to focus on the Word of God.”

“When a parent misses the opportunity to teach vital lessons when they’re still young there’s a chance they might not have a successful future.”

“Lead them and teach them of what’s in the bible, children should listen and obey to their parents.”

“Too much happening because we twist everything, but if we stay true to ourselves then we’ll see  how happy our children lives in the next few years.”

“We must understand that the role of any parents is to teach their children while they still have time if they don’t someone will do it for them...violence, abuse and criminals will teach them.”

By Ilia L Likou 25 January 2017, 12:00AM

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