SENIOR ATTORNEY AT LAW Cecil McCarthy says men should have the right to apply to the court for maintenance.
And the Queen’s Counsel has called for the repeal of the Maintenance Order Act, saying it allowed only women to apply in the Magistrates’ Court for maintenance of children even though it was the duty of both parents to maintain a child.
“Clearly, that kind of obvious inequity needs to be got rid of,” he said. “We cannot have a piece of legislation which in 2013 allows a woman to apply for maintenance and a man not having the corresponding right, a piece of legislation that does not specifically speak of access to children at all.”
He made the comments yesterday as the Men’s Educational Support Association (MESA) held the second of three scheduled legal clinics at the Christ Church Parish Church Centre. (LK)
