CONCERNED social workers are calling on the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and the Ministry of Social Development to launch an immediate investigation into the operations of privately-run “homes” in the Sister Isle.

They are also calling for the institution of a regulatory framework and supervisory control over the operations of some for the socially disadvantaged in TnT.

The social workers have noted the speedy response to the well-publicised allegations of sexual abuse at a home in Trinidad.

It was reported in the media that arrest warrants have been issued for two adults connected to the home earlier this week.

“As a society, we are very re-active when dealing with these issues,” remarked one social worker.

“We usually wait until something big happens, then we react in a very ad hoc manner with a lot of blame-casting and finger-pointing at the glaring inefficiencies of several government agencies that have responsibility for these matters.

“In the end, it is usually business as usual with nothing done, really, to deal with the substantive matter of protecting our children from adult predators in both private and public homes,” noted the source sadly.

Another social activist pointed out that the state had literally abandoned its responsibility to set up and operate properly run institutions, to take care of the abused and abandoned children in the society.

“This void is usually filled by private individuals and organisations, who are operating without any meaningful State supervision within a proper regulatory framework,” observed the activist.

“Many of these individuals start out with good intentions but, with hardly any State regulatory conditions or a proper supervisory process in place we have been picking up some very disturbing trends in the management and operations of these homes,” revealed the activist.

“It is as if there is a ‘hands off’ policy adopted by officials in the various departments of the Social Services Division,” said the activist. “While we have no problem with individuals and organisations responding to these social needs, we view the attitude of the State agencies as almost callous, insensitive and even criminal.

Ironically, these agents of the government turn around and place at-risk children in these very homes,” charged the social activist.

“As it stands now, anybody can get up in the morning and decide to start up a “home” for the socially disadvantaged,” declared the activist.

“If you look at the history of each and every home in the island, you would find that is exactly how they all started.”

TnT Mirror was given several horrendous stories about life in a particular home in the Sister Isle.

One source told Mirror that following a series of visits to the home, a number of disturbing things were observed there but efforts to report these conditions to top THA officials have all been futile.

“All I am getting is a lot of run around and nobody seems to care, really,” said the source.

“It was getting to a point where I became ill as a result of the stress from the situation.

“My relatives advised me to back off and leave the situation alone,” the source said.

And at yet another home, there are charges of financial mismanagement of money received from an international funding agency that gave a substantial donation to construct a new home for abused children in the Sister Isle.

A former board member told Mirror plans for the home were discarded after the donor agency released the funds for the construction project.

“As soon as the money came, all meetings of the Board stopped and despite our best efforts, she has refused to call us together or give us any information about the money.

“It was as if the operator had no more use for us,” said the ex-board member.

“After some foundation trenches were dug, the project has been at a standstill for over two years now and we do not have a clue about how the money was spent,” revealed the source.

“We have also noted that the owner has done some extensive renovations to her home.

“I have reported the matter to a top THA official yet no action has been taken,” said the ex-Board member.