All over the world, family is losing its importance for many reasons.

In some countries both fathers and mothers must be free to move from one town or factory to another in order to gain a long awaited promotion, or to be trained or retrained for the work one has chosen. This places great stress on families that must be constantly moving if they are to take advantage of every opportunity offered. When this happens, family ties are weakened, and individuals are encouraged to look out for themselves.

The West Indian Family is still very important, as it performs functions that have long ceased to be performed elsewhere.

It is known, for example, that Caribbean territories have not been able to provide enough institutions to cater to the very old - the grand mothers and grand fathers of the society. In doing this, the West Indian family has also made provision for the care of the infants, since it has been the duty of the grand mothers to look after the small children.

In adddition to this, the family has absorbed the unemployment problem, by providing food and clothing for those who are not working, without insisting that they should get out and find a job. There are many problems faced by us in the West Indies today, but were it not for the presence of family life, many could not survive the pressures of living.

We would therefore do well to support and encourage family life in our nation.