In what can only be described as State Sponsored Child Abuse, the orphans and needy children who end up as wards of the State here in Trinidad & Tobago directly through one of the four 'sanctioned' Homes, or indirectly through the fifty six illegal Homes, paint a disgusting picture of neglect, inhumanity and abuse, and is governed by an entire Government Ministry that is staffed by only two women, angels really, who are all that stands between these babies and the darkness.
In a tale straight out of Oliver Twist, every story told of the circumstances under which these unfortunate innocents live is worse than the last.
The situation is so bad, that the Social Services division KNOWS, (as in IS AWARE OF) situations where the children are kept in a state of manageable starvation while funds are misappropriated by 'caregivers'; circumstances where the children are subjected to the type of physical abuse outlawed by treaties of civilized society, and they cannot act because of a lack of enforcement power, gaping inadequacy in the existing Legislation that governs this situation and no funds to staff and no funds to house these children IF they were to be rescued.
We've been told of children escaping from these institutions, and when 'captured' begging to be placed in the St. Ann's Mental Hospital or the Women's Prison rather than to be returned to the 'Home' from which they escaped.
Stray dogs and stray children are treated in pretty much the same way here, that is to say they are removed from their homelessness and kept as wards of the state until adopted or otherwise.
They are fed and housed and bathed, and given a place to sleep.
Fortunately for the dogs, they are not sexually and physically abused by their handlers, and aren't subjected to such scarring psychological abuse that when they leave the institution they are so unfit to rejoin society, they find themselves in another state run institution, like the mental asylum or the jail.
The caregivers of the dogs for the most part, do not intercept the dog food and doggie treats donated by kind hearted members of the public and take them home for their own consumption; nor do they beat the dogs into submission, at least not that I've seen or heard about.
They both have similar living conditions, as in cages and cold floors, but the dogs are fortunate - there is a Trinidad Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that has the authority to rescue mistreated animals from deplorable conditions and re-house them.
The children are not so fortunate.
The situation is critical and needs Government intervention urgently, and needs a public outcry to spur said intervention.
I am calling on all investigative journalists and media personnel to verify the contents of this note and to make public their findings.
I am calling on the current line Minister, Dr. Glen Ramadarsingh to take the following 'IMMEDIATE' steps to save these children:
- Have all male attendants at these Institutions and Homes suspended or removed pending investigations into conduct of (allegations of) physical and sexual abuse.
- Move to seize or possess and take control of through whatever legal means available ALL Government Assisted Private Homes pending investigation and the issuing of Fit & Proper clearance certificates reviewable quarterly.
- Set up, staff and fund an investigative arm of the Ministry to begin investigations into the abuse against minors and to have all perpetrators charged and jailed for such offenses.
- To fund and staff the Welfare and Social Services Division with fifty 'Special Purpose' Field Officers with jurisdiction over ALL Government Supported Children's Homes, to visit daily and ensure proper care is being provided under UNICEF guidelines.
- To involve the DPP and the Commissioner of Police in these investigations so as to fast track convictions against abusers.
Further steps are required to right size this unspeakable inhuman tragedy, but these are the most important and required urgently.
Now, Dr. Amery Browne:
- Did you at any material time come to know of this situation while you were the line Minister directly responsible for Social Services?
- Do you believe that this situation represents a failure of epic proportions on the part of the last Administration and an indictment against that party from ever claiming to be a caring Government?
- If you knew and attempted to act or agitated for action and was prevented from acting against this State Sponsored Child Abuse, why did you not make this matter of urgent National interest public?
- As a former Minister and a Member of Parliament, you owe it to the entire nation to come clean and to do so now, while this issue is still in its infancy.
- Was there a lack of political will under the PNM to care for the least of the Trinidad family; defenseless girls and innocent babies?
- Did the Patrick Manning led PNM Government knowingly consent to the abuse of these children by its inaction?
The people need to know.
Was the last Administration culpable by failing to act to protect its legal wards, and through such inaction, contributed to the abuse and delinquency of minors?
Not wanting this to be political, but, Patrick 'father of the nation' Manning had the audacity to say 'We love you, that is why we take care of you' on the campaign trail, while breeding prostitutes, criminals and mad people under his direct care through State run child care facilities.
I am calling on the Attorney General to launch an immediate investigation into this matter, and to bring charges against senior Ministry Officials and former Government Ministers for contributing to the delinquency of minors under the Laws of the Republic.
The current leadership of the People's National Movement needs to make a statement on this issue of urgent National importance.
This situation cuts to the heart of any claim we can make as to being a civilized society capable of achieving anything akin to First World status. The tragedy is compounded by the silence of the Media, and again I have to ask 'What is the purpose of our Media?'
We as a nation and a caring society have an obligation to these children under the social contract to care for them as a thoroughly as possible, to raise them in love in the closest thing to a home we can provide, and to care for them BECAUSE they are weak and parent-less.
No claim to decency or integrity we make can stand in the full glare of the truth if we fail to act to save these children now.
The current People's Partnership Government pledged that under its Administration we would 'Rise' as a nation; well here is the starting point; the lowest we as a people, as a civilized society will ever be.
Something to think about....
Your blog had me in tears. How could Bishop Bess not be aware of what is going on at St.Mary's? It's obscene.
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