Dad buys car for 11-y-o daughter But insists it’s not for her to drive

While many 11-year-olds receive the latest gadgets, toys and balloons marked ‘Congrats’ as graduation gifts, Montego Bay businessman Romar Pearson wanted something different for his daughter graduating primary school - so he bought her a car. 

Pearson told THE STAR that his daughter, Karakay, 11, has been under his care since she was three months old.

“Me realise she is going to graduate and children been troubling her saying she don't have any mother and don't have anybody. So I tell her ‘Don't worry, when you a graduate, your things going to be different from everyone’,” Pearson explained, adding that he is motivated to buy all of his six children big gifts. Pearson admitted that parenting has not always been easy but he strives to ensure his children are financially set and have opportunities he never had.

“I am not the best father weh is always around. I have six kids so it's me just working to take care of all of them,” he said. According to the businessman, the gift fell into place just a day before the graduation ceremony.

“I was scrolling through the Internet and mi see a Subaru and called the youth and tell him and he knew me and made it happen. But this is now Karakay first income.”

A video posted across Pearson's social media platform shows the 11-year-old, moments after her graduation ceremony, being led blindfolded towards a white Subaru decorated with balloons and congratulatory banners. As the blindfold came off, little Karakay screamed in excitement before standing still in shock. 

"She come een like me, don't like surprises. She loves her car and she knows how to drive it," Pearson. But as some social media users questioned the decision to gift a child a car,  Pearson quickly clarified that the car is not for Karakay to drive, but to earn money.

“The car gone out from three days ago and so this money that it can bring in can be used for other things, some can be put down and it’s all for her. She has that now for rental services. This is for business,” he said.

"People can talk but you are not going to give a child a car to drive up and down,  for that reason I bought her an E-bike,” he added. 

In the meantime, although PEP results have not yet been released and high school placements are still pending, Pearson said he believes his daughter deserves the gift, which he views as a way for her to begin building wealth and taking her first steps on an entrepreneurial journey.

“The first money I get, I give her and that is how it will go. If something wrong with the car, it can be fixed and later down can even buy a next one. But that's how it goes. It's a progress in life whether people want to look at the negative,” he said.

For Pearson, the gift is further rooted in lessons he hopes he had received at a young age from his father.

“My father never give me a car, my father never give me land. So I am building a house for them (his children), take care of their insurance, just have a lot to focus on,” he said. He acknowledged that some of the mothers of his other children may feel offended by the gesture, but he said each child will have their own time .

“Them need to understand that their child don't reach there so as yet, but this one live with me and she was with my sister and then one next babymother and now she's here with me and my soon-to-be wife,” he said.

Being around him every day, Pearson believes Karakay has adopted much of his way of thinking and approach to business.

“Listen, that little girl have me brain and I tell you I am multi-talented. She can deal with packages at my shipping company, she good with maths, she deal with the customers good, so right now I know you can't force a child to do something and that's why I give them options and motivate them. So I don't know what the future will be like.”