The Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) is expressing its warmest appreciation for the actions taken in Jamaica’s Upper House on Friday, October 25, 2024, aimed at caring for and protecting the elderly. The Senate approved a motion to create the relevant laws. During the next sitting of the Upper House, a bipartisan special select committee, to be chaired by Senator Sherene Golding Campbell will be appointed and will consider the next steps.

Founder and Executive Chair of CCRP Mrs. Jean Lowrie-Chin was elated at the news and expressed her deepest gratitude to all those involved.

“We are especially thankful to Senator Dr. Floyd Morris for moving the motion for the legislation to proceed, and for the support of Senator Sherene Golding Campbell and other members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle,” noted Lowrie-Chin. “CCRP stands ready to support the Committee chaired by Senator Golding Campbell in the participation of stakeholders in their deliberations.” 
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on October 27, she stated: “It has been a long road for CCRP Jamaica, as we have been meeting, writing, calling for legislation for the protection of the elderly.”

A non-profit organisation founded in 2010, CCRP advocates for the empowerment of senior citizens, and has lobbied strongly against the growing human rights issue of elder abuse in recent years. It collaborates with the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in upholding the rights of senior citizens.

Speaking on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in 2017, the CCRP Chair pointed to several ways in which our vulnerable senior citizens are abused - including financial exploitation (“scamming”) by strangers and even family members. This is one aspect of elder abuse, which also includes both psychological and physical abuse, including neglect by those assigned to care for older Jamaicans.

While there is a lot of work ahead to ensure the full protection of Jamaican senior citizens, the organisation looks forward to working with its partners and supporting all efforts to ensure their safety and wellbeing. As Lowrie-Chin has stressed:
“Many children have been raised and nurtured by their grandparents. These heroic elderly Jamaicans deserve honour and protection when they can no longer fend for themselves.”