Government is considering withdrawing or suspending the driver's licence of fathers who fail to pay child support.

And they are also looking into changes to the law to remove the onus for the issue of warrants for delinquent fathers from the mothers to the courts.

If the changes come about, a mother's application for child support will automatically give the courts an authorisation to issue a warrant of arrest for arrears.

In a prepared statement Minister of Information, Mr. John Barritt, said that current moves to bring delinquent fathers to justice has been successful and is improving.

Collections have increased by 11 percent to 45 percent since the establishment of the Family and Child Support Office opened in 1992.

In 1993 they were up by more than 38 percent and in 1994 collections were again up some 45 percent over the amounts collected in 1991.

Currently, the collections rate is 64 percent. In the United States a rate of 65 percent is regarded as above average.

The ability to garnish wages, which is a tool that has been used for at least ten years, has been the most effective method of collecting child support from delinquent dads, the statement said.

Mr. Barritt said: "In fact about 80-90 percent of the revenues are from garnished wages. This is part of a court order and where the employer is an established corporate entity, the system is most effective.

"However, problems arise with persons who are self-employed, transient or casual workers and where fathers give incorrect information about their place of employment.'' Mr. Barritt said that the collection of child support payments from delinquent fathers has been successful after the Family and Child Support Office was opened. He said outstanding warrants for arrest were acted upon.

Moreover, he said there were instances were fathers who were in arrears were stopped at the Airport.

One delinquent father was leaving on his honeymoon and his new bride was obliged to find the money before he was allowed to leave the Island.