Hinds: State must protect children

Hinds referred to allegations of sexual abuse of children at the Cry Foundation Home in Claxton Bay when he said: “government had debates in Parliament and the Children’s Act has not been implemented. We have gone ahead hastily. The government must intervene either indirectly or directly.”

He mentioned that support systems and administration have to be put in place for the Children’s Act to be beneficial. “The responsibility to ensure children’s security rests with everyone. We must be our brother’s keeper.”

On May 18, police acted on reports made by children at the Claxton Bay Cry Foundation home and took away ten minors who were moved to the St Mary’s Children’s Home in Tacarigua.

A medical report on Friday, showed that four of the ten children were sexually assaulted.

Couva Senior Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar on Friday granted an application petition by the police and medical social worker Vashti Ragbir to make the ten children Wards of the State. The order expires on June 9.

Hinds also said that children must be sent to school to avoid slipping through the cracks of society. “How can the state protect children, if no one takes responsibility,” he ended.