A “smiling” accountant has expressed gratitude to God after being awarded the prestigious title of ‘Jamaican Father of the Year 2024’.
Demario Kurt Rolando Forskin, 30, won both the Caribbean island’s top accolade for fatherhood and a ‘Parish Champion - St James’ award after a competitive process for the Eternal Father Awards 2024.
“I am grateful to God for all He has blessed me with thus far and humbled each day by His grace and mercy towards me and my family,” commented Forskin.
His wife Alethia Forskin nominated him and paid heartfelt tribute to his fathering skills in a 3-minute nomination video.
“From the moment we discovered that we were expecting [a baby], he was filled with a sense of pride and responsibility - he was very excited,” said Alethia.
Forskin lost his own father when he was six years old and his grandmother reared him but she died when he was 15. Even so, Forskin pushed ahead with his education and achieved a business degree before moving into the accountancy profession.
Wife Alethia believed the loss of his own father, and growing up as an orphan in the rural community of Garlands, St James, motivated Forskin in his own role as a dad.
Forskin lost his job shortly after his daughter Brielle’s birth but he used it as an opportunity to spend time with his little girl and provided for her needs, ensuring she lacked for nothing, whether diapers or wet wipes.
Then Forskin landed another job as accountant but sought to ensure he wouldn't neglect his father role. “He worked diligently whilst also caring for our daughter in the same space,” said his wife, who needed time to finish her studies in Kingston.
Forskin “with a smile” balanced well the tension between working from home and giving parental care. “He’s a mentor, a playmate, a caretaker, and a source of endless love,” commended his wife.
“I’m dedicated, determined, disciplined, very organized, strategic, loving, caring, generous, and above all, a firm believer in Christ,” said Forskin. “These qualities and more I believe have made me standout and was selected as Father of the Year.”
For the selection, judges chose a candidate from each of the 14 island parishes. The entry with the highest judged score from each parish was automatically named Parish Champion Father.
For Forskin, he won the parish champ award for St. James, which is home to Jamaica's tourist capital and second city - Montego Bay
Then he joined 13 other finalists for a public vote, and became overall winner after receiving the highest vote to become Jamaican Father of the Year.
The Eternal Father Awards has three objectives: to affirm the sacred value of fatherhood, reinforced positive male images and empower the Jamaican man, according to its website.
“From the Christian perspective, fathers are important because they are the designated vehicle through which God's leadership and guidance is manifest in a family,” Anna Smith, founder and president of the Eternal Father Awards, told Christian Daily International.
“Through the leadership of the father, the family demonstrates godliness through Christian discipline and obedience.
“Apart from provision and protection, leadership is the other intrinsic mandate for a man. Leadership of the family is the training space for a man before he can lead effectively in other aspects of society.”
