Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

Children not attending school and selling on the beach in Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine, have become a major concern for the police and other authorities in the area.

At a recent forum held on the beach, it was revealed that children, some as young as 10 years old, have been seen on the beach selling wares and engaging in other activities during school time. In some cases at least 10 children are seen involved in these activities on a daily basis.

''The children them really come on the beach and will do a little hustling to help out with school expense. This must stop, as education is the key to their survival,'' said Kevin Baker, president of the Old Harbour Fisherfolk Council.

It was revealed that the problem is compounded by the lack of proper registration of children by parents in the area. To this end, plans are afoot to get the Registrar General Department (RGD) involved in an attempt to correct the problem.

Principal of the Old Harbour Bay Primary School, Milton Wade, said that the lack of registration was the cause for so many of the children not attending school. He said, however, that he hopes that the free registration will improve that.

Wade declared that at one point, a couple of years ago, he had to personally invite the RGD to the area to do registration as the school's enrolment was being affected.

He said that there has been some improvement but more needs to be done if the community is to be fully developed.

In the meantime, the operations officer for St Catherine South Police Division, Deputy Superintendent of Police Clive Blair, said the police would be vigilant in the community to curb the problem.

''The law is clear that all children of school age must be in school and should not be put to labour, therefore, we will be working close to the Child Development Agency and persons who harbour these children will be in trouble,'' Blair said.