Government should introduce more social programmes to improve people's chances of leading good lives instead of focusing on "deadbeat parents", according to former Progressive Labour Party MP Delaey Robinson.

Mr. Robinson yesterday called for the PLP to ensure all children get the best development — given help before they're even born, followed by free day care and preschool for all.

He said many of today's parents are still reeling from the financial, social and health disadvantages they were given early in life, after being raised by a single teen mother.

The former St. George's MP was responding after Attorney General Kim Wilson revealed new legislation would stop "deadbeat parents" from licensing their motor vehicles until they pay outstanding child support.

Sen. Wilson said it's frustrating for mothers to see the father of their child driving a sports car yet failing to find money for food or clothes.

But Mr. Robinson, who described the "deadbeat" term as unhelpful, told The Royal Gazette: "It does not seem to matter how badly we treat these dads, they almost always get bad press every time they get a mention.

"They are vilified and then expected to conform to middle class values with both their feet firmly planted on the bottom of the barrel, where they are quite likely to have started life. At every turn there is legislation to further cement them to the bottom.

"Most of them are not able to acquire sporty cars, being without jobs, without sufficient education of the correct kind, without marketable skills, without prospects, often without much hope.

"Quite a few started life with either a teen mother and or a father who was not there.

"They can expect to have more stress than most. Being at the bottom of the pecking order getting no respect can be more stressful than their financial woes; they can expect poor health outcomes, shorter life expectancy, better chance than most for coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes."

He said, without a hope of getting onto the first rung of the ladder, many young men live fast and risky lives.

"They see people every day, who they might have brushed shoulders with at primary school, people who had some advantage not available to them, climbing on up the ladder," he said. "Very few will sit back and say, 'Wow, that's marvellous. Look at ya boy go, gee I could be there', for they are far too consumed by their own woes."

Earlier this week, Sen. Wilson said Government needs to put more attention on fixing social problems to complement the reams of legislation she's pushed through targeting criminals.

Yesterday, Mr. Robinson, a parliamentarian from 1998 to 2003, suggested Bermuda's new Premier could turn the tide first by ensuring every child has the benefit of early childhood development interventions before they are born, delivered at standards provided by the Nurses Practice.

He said: "When I last checked only one third of live births had this benefit so Government only has to pick up the cost for the other two thirds — around 600.

"Cheap. Maybe a million dollars. And tons less than just the costs of putting those who miss out on this benefit on remand later on.

"This must be followed free day-care and preschool for all children. This alone will save lives in years to come and will virtually guarantee that those cohorts so taken care of will have aspirations we all will be proud of."

Meanwhile, family lawyer Katie Richards, of Wakefield Quin, yesterday stressed the Family Law Reform Sub-Committee had identified a clear need to improve enforcement proceedings for parents in arrears of child maintenance.

"It is pleasing that this has been recognised by the Government in these recent proposals," she said.

"Fathers who deliberately and without good reason refuse to meet their financial obligations must face appropriate consequences and sanctions.

"However, there must be a degree of proportionality. A father who misses one payment, perhaps for very good reasons, should not, for example, automatically be prohibited from licensing his vehicle.

"It is hoped that these new procedures will give comfort for those mothers who are frustrated by the current system and encourage some fathers to think again."