President of the Single Fathers’ Association (SFA) Rhondall Feeles says Laventille mother Natasha de Silva, who recently lost custody of two of her children, should take some comfort in knowing an interim order can be challenged.
“Fathers lose custody all the time and no one cares. She lost interim custody. It’s a culture of mommy’s baby, daddy maybe,” he said.
“Yes, she might be afraid. She feels it’s the end and feels she may not see the children again, yes it’s bad, but she can present her case at the next hearing.”
Feeles encouraged De Silva get in contact with the SFA as they were willing to assist her. He said the group dealt with custody cases almost daily.
“I would advise both mother and father in this instance they need to understand and put the welfare of the children in front of everything.
“When you get into the court system you don’t know what will happen. Find maturity and work it out outside the court, because when you go in there you don’t have total control,” he said.
Daly defends call system
Former chairman of the Family Court Committee Stephanie Daly is defending the system where judicial employees make telephone calls to inform attorneys and litigants about changes in case matters.
“The reason it was introduced was for more flexibility, giving the opportunity to inform people about matters in a low key way. These matters have a high emotional involvement, so it’s so much better to get a phone call, much less stressful,” she explained.
Resoponding to de Silva’s claim that she received a phone call from the judiciary informing her of a change of date for the custody hearing for two of her sons, Daly said the calling system gives attorneys and litigants a better chance to receive get promptly.
“Frankly there’s nothing more frustrating than to reach to a co-parenting session or hearing and find out there’s nothing going on.”
“Ideally there would have been a written confirmation if a call goes out. Errors can happen. How often have you had someone tell you a wrong date and time?
“But you look at something, investigate and learn from it, and move forward with it, to reduce it occurring in the future,” she said.
“The family court concept is about learning as you go, to adjust and tweak.”
Senior attorney Lynette Seebaran-Suite, who practices at the Family Court, agreed that the calling system is useful.
“It is user friendly and customer sympathetic.
“It’s a good protocol to call people if their matter is not going on for some reason,” she said.
Seebaran-Suite said litigants often put their jobs in jeopardy to attend court matter and it’s worse when they arrive to realise that nothing is happening on that day.”
“Ultimately calling clients is a good system and should continue,” she said.