A senior magistrate in Barbados has called for the implementation of state-funded, mandatory DNA testing in all child maintenance cases, emphasizing its necessity to ensure fairness and certainty for fathers involved in legal disputes. Acting Chief Magistrate Deidre McKenna proposed this measure during a panel discussion titled ‘Financial Child Support Delinquency,’ hosted by the Men of Character Men’s Fellowship at the Mount of Praise Wesleyan Holiness Church on Monday. McKenna, who regularly presides over child maintenance cases, highlighted the current system’s reliance on verbal acknowledgment of paternity, which often lacks definitive proof. She suggested that DNA testing should be automatic when a man is brought before the courts for maintenance, ensuring clarity before proceeding with financial arrangements. McKenna also advocated for the state to cover the cost of these tests, which currently amount to $800 per test, as many individuals struggle to afford them. She shared a poignant case where a man discovered he was not the biological father of a child he had supported for nine years, underscoring the emotional and financial toll of paternity uncertainty. Additionally, McKenna noted that maintenance orders should include provisions for shared medical, dental, and educational expenses to ensure funds are used appropriately. While she acknowledged that women are also occasionally ordered to pay child maintenance, McKenna’s proposal aims to address systemic issues in paternity disputes and child support enforcement.