The premiere episode of 18 Degrees North aired last night on TVJ. It will be online on Thursday at 9pm. The first episode featured a compelling interview with Lee Boyd Malvo, who was born in Jamaica. He was convicted of murder in the D.C. sniper killings, along with John Allan Muhammad. The pair were deemed serial killers and Malvo is now serving life a sentence, while Muhammad was executed.
Last night’s interview was conducted by host Zahra Burton and was particularly revealing when Malvo discussed the lack of attention paid to him by his father. The story also featured an interview with University of West Indies Professor Herbert Gayle, who spoke about the lack of father figure role models for Jamaican boys. As well, Burton talked to Malvo’s father, who disputed his son’s claim that he was not a good father.
Of course, it is impossible to prove causality for such a case as this, but there is no doubt that generations of boys suffer from a lack of parenting, and not only by their fathers.
Keep an eye out for the story online, it is worth watching. Also keep an eye out for my piece on children in the adult prison system, airing in the next few weeks.
I always find that Jamaican fathers who are rarely in their kids life never see it as that. As a Jamaican male that have experience this selfishness, I think they only return what they know. Unfortunately, that is not much. However, they always seems to expect much from a child that they invested nothing into.
I think you’re right, people do the best they can based on what they know and what they have been taught. In this case, unfortunately, children suffer for it.
I am on the lookout!