NEWSDAY JUNE 29, 2 K 13.. Six-year-olds made to iron at homes Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development Marlene Coudray has used her ministerial power to grant permission to the management of a children’s home to hire workers on contract to stop the practice of using children for menial tasks. She spoke of this yesterday during the meeting of the Joint Select Committee of the Parliament and Statutory Authorities Service Commission (SASC) at the J Hamilton Maurice Room of the Parliament Chamber, Port-of-Spain. “It was an urgent and immediate situation where it was reported that six-year-olds are ironing. A six-year-old child is ironing, using an electric iron to iron her clothes and other young children are made to hold hot pots with food and transport to a dining room and the appointed persons, they are public officers so they feel they are safe, they are saying their role is to supervise.” Speaking in an earnest tone, she described what was happening as “criminal” and said the drastic action had to be taken in the management of homes and removing them from under the purview of the SASC. “We are working towards that,” she said. Coudray said there were institutions which should not fall under the purview of the SASC or any commission but a board of management which could have direct access to make quick decisions. She described the problems associated with the management of children’s homes as “very insurmountable.” “If you have somebody coming into a public service type organisation you have a certain culture that comes in there which really does not lend itself to the care of children,” Coudray said. The SASC is responsible for hiring, transfer, promotion and disciplinary action of 13 authorities including St Mary’s Children’s Homes, St Dominic’s Children’s Home, St Jude’s School for Girls and St Michael’s School for Boys. Her comments followed from a question posed by JSC chairman Subhas Ramkhelawan who enquired about caregivers “who may be guilty of some offence” against children or an allegation has been made against them but they cannot be removed. He observed that the SASC had made recommendations to deal with this and asked what progress had been made. SASC chairman Valentine Steve Alvarez said the commission was concerned about such reports but could not act outside the regulations and law. In situations where there is immediate need to act, the SASC has asked that in instances where a person posed a threat to a child, that managers act to immediately remove them while due process was followed. Alvarez said persons are suspended with pay “but there are no regulations that guide us to legally at this time to remove this person immediately.” Coudray remarked that the removal of persons was not “immediate enough” but Alvarez said sometimes the Commission gave “covering approval” to managers of homes. “The structure does not allow for immediate action. The Commission meets once a week so if something happens you cannot wait for the Commission to meet to make a decision,” she said. Coudray said the manager did not have the vested authority and the offender would not “take it on” unless a letter came from the SASC. She suggested that an executive officer of the SASC be given the authority to send letters to the offender. Alvarez told the JSC of concerns with the limits of the mandate of the SASC and said an overhaul of the management system was needed. Coudray asked “for the record” whether the SASC was guided by the political directorate in making appointments, transfers, promotions. Alvarez said over the last two years the Commission has never been asked by any politician to do anything. Coudray said the SASC was created to insulate public officers from political interference. In 2004, Coudray took legal action against the SASC to stop a transfer to the Point Fortin Borough Corporation alleging political victimisation. Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning was named in Coudray’s affidavit. She won the matter and the transfer was revoked.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 12:52:11 +0000
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