Human services Ministry to investigate

Corentyne orphanage

 
-  As allegations of maltreatment surface

The Ministry of Human services plans to investigate the details surrounding the arrest of three orphaned teenagers, who were living at a children’s home in Corentyne, East Berbice.
Allegations of maltreatment of children at the orphanage have surfaced as three teenage girls from the home are being held in the lock-ups at the Albion Police Station.
Human Services Minister, Jennifer Webster in an invited comment explained that a full investigation will be launched into the reports.
Minister Webster says that complaints of such nature regarding the orphanage were never brought to the attention of the Ministry.
“I will be writing to the person in charge of the orphanage to let them know that a committee will be sent to conduct a detailed investigation regarding the allegations into this incident.”
The girls, 12, 14 and 15-years- old (names given) were arrested on November 20, 2013 for “wandering” away from the home.
They were placed before the courts and sentenced to be institutionalized at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) in Essequibo by Magistrate Ravindra Singh earlier last week. The girls are expected to be deployed to NOC soon.
However, residents and concerned citizens have been highly critical of the actions of the law enforcement authorities.
Residents at Albion have suggested that constant ill-treatment of the children may have been the reason for the three girls leaving the home.
The girls are originally from Skeldon and have been at the home for over four years now. Two of them are sisters. They are orphans and do not have any close relatives.
Residents of the area have accused the administration of the Orphanage of misusing the finances and clothing and other resources available to institution.
“The lady does sell out all them children thing. Like she ain’t really fit to run that home anymore, because she get old and she put responsibility on her daughter-in-law,” claimed the resident.
“There was a time when she grandson and son used to live with all the big girls—as soon as they become mature, they lived with these children them! Let them go and investigate!” the person stated.
“Three girls were going to commit suicide and they had to call the police—and these children break down! But they don’t talk—   is ill treatment!”
These were some of the assertions made by residents.
While Director of Child Care Protection Agency, (CCPA) Ann Greene declined to comment on the matter involving the three teenagers, she explained that the agency is concentrating on providing more options of alternative care for children.
“We are working towards extending our foster care and kinship programme to reduce the number of children in residential institutions and also looking for more community responses for children in need of alternative care and protection.  We see the need for having specialized centers to meet the needs of a number of children in the formal care system needs within a range that includes mental health issues, substance abuse and intellectual deficiencies,” Greene said in a statement issued to this newspaper yesterday.
Greene further stated that the practice of children being committed for status offences should be abolished.
“It is felt in the child welfare field that status offences should be abolished…- status offences if committed by an adult are not sanctioned….The Childcare and Protection Agency provides care and protection for children with inadequate parental care and also works with parents to assist them to provide better care and supervision of their children.  Parents are also placed before the courts when there are repeated failures in their child care and protection efforts.”
However, Ms Greene pointed out that the reality is many children wandering are beyond parental control and are involved in anti-social activities that are serious breaches of the law and are even parts of criminal gangs.
“Sometimes all efforts by social services to correct the behavior or find safe places and adequate care are often times rejected by the juveniles.  Magistrates’ only action to prevent further destruction of youth is to commit to the training institution.”
In this regard, Greene says that the NOC is a rehabilitation and training centre for young offenders with a number of programmes, some supported by international organizations that are being executed for the benefits of its students.