The founder of an organisation set up to campaign for father's rights said he fully supported a bid by a Bermudian father to track down his child.

Eddie Fisher, the founder of Childwatch Bermuda, was speaking after The Royal Gazette last Friday revealed the plight of Giovanni Burrows, who has not seen his son Jasai Swan-Burrows, for five years.

He claims the boy was taken in contravention of a court order by his former wife and is now living with her in North America.

Mr. Fisher said: "This is a very unfortunate situation and we have been in touch with Mr. Burrows in the past and have offered assistance, but unfortunately there is not much that can be done on our part but we continue to be a support to him."

He added: "Unfortunately, fathers are not seen as a "parent" but as a pay cheque, or a provider in the this matriarchal society. Had it been a mum who lost her child, there would have been much more of an outcry."

Childwatch is an action group of concerned parents, initially fathers, set up to try and change the laws and society's view on the right of a single father to actively share in the day-to-day rearing of their children and to be the primary care giver.

Childwatch is and all-volunteer, non-profit, self-funded organisation serving the citizens of Bermuda, and Bermudians overseas. Mr. Fisher added: "We've had several of our members who have had their children taken to another country and never seen again. The difference between them and Mr. Burrows is that he has an absolute court order stating that he has custody of the child.

"In most cases there is joint custody with the mother having care and control emphasising on control. At this point, if a mother decides to take the child to another country and never return, it is so much easier for her to do this.

"The father then has to hire a lawyer in Bermuda and overseas which can become very expensive, leaving the father no choice but to up and leave to go and find their child on their own."

Mr. Fisher added that if a parent is able to afford this procedure, and finds the child and gets the authorities involved and if the mother gets suspicious or is tipped off, she can move to the next state and the process would have to be repeated.