Sack GIS staff for public trust to return, says MP

St Philip North MP Sonia Browne has called for the entire staff of the Government Industrial School (GIS) to be sacked as a way to restore public confidence in the reform school.

Although Brown praised Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams on his handling of the controversy that reportedly involved a leaked picture of a naked female ward in apparent solitary confinement, she stressed that the institution needed to be thoroughly cleansed of all current personnel.

Her comments came in the House of Assembly on Tuesday during debate on the Appropriation Bill, 2021.

According to Dr Browne, the former board at the GIS could not be responsible only for the questionable treatment of young people, as it was the job of the staff to actually serve the juvenile offenders.

She told the House: “I’m not sure that termination of the board without termination of staff members…. I really can’t get that gel. At the end of the day, the board is not physically there on a day-to-day basis, staff members are responsible for the alleged ill-treatment of the inmates at the institutions, and I think that needs to be addressed. When I say staff members I mean retired people – I do not think that retirement should be a pass in being accountable for these issues.”

Dr Browne also said that controversial treatment of offenders had come to be known among the Barbadian populace at the boy’s facility at Dodds, St. Philip as well for some time now, with the root cause of such behaviour being seen at other government entities. She also chastised previous actions of members of the Child Care Board, as well as the Royal Barbados Police Force, when it came to the way these institutions handled sensitive matters involving citizens, as complaints go unaddressed far too often.

“We need to take the law seriously in this country, especially when it comes to children and women. Apart from the school, you have to investigate complaints that reach police stations, and the response of police officers,” she added.

Dr Browne further emphasized that qualified staff who are well trained in their fields should occupy posts at GIS, requiring thorough investigations into their backgrounds to judge their competency before taking up such vital jobs.

She said: “We need to put appropriate staff, qualified social workers and teachers, not a teacher that is also filling in as a driver. If they are teachers, let them act as teachers. These are things that need to be addressed at the Government Industrial School.

“Boards need to be able to say no this person is appropriate for this position, it can’t be do as I say. We put people in danger at that point; boards need to have the wherewithal to function properly and make decisions for these agencies.” (SB)