Questions to answer on deaths of those 2 boys

THE EDITOR: In the wake of the deaths of Ashanti Riley and Andrea Bharatt, we are now faced with the deaths of two teenage boys, Antonio Francois and Simeon Daniel.

In my opinion, the people of this country cannot be thrown any further down the spiral of the black hole that we are presently in. How long again before we reach the point of no return?

First of all, I would like to know what the Children’s Authority’s policy is on corporal punishment – licks or no licks? We should also note that there are no longer insititutions for under-aged criminals in the country. All are lumped together under the Children’s Authority and treated the same. Young criminals and boys with bad attitudes are given the same treatment.

Did the authority call for the police when the boys escaped? Remember these are children who lacked love and care and are not criminals.

Why would children run away from care and protection that they are purported to receive under the authority? It doesn’t make sense. The boys in their last communication with loved ones complained about abuse and bad treatment, even late meals, meaning they were hungry a lot of the time.

The director said they were aware of the escape plot by the five boys and brought them in for “counselling and reassurance.” Did this counselling involve licks or not? Just asking as a concerned citizen. Again, did the authority call the police on the boys?

The public is now left to speculate as to what really happened when they caught up with the boys. They say that the boys were killed in a crossfire. Crossfire between who. The facts are the protective services are not protecting us and all the institutional pillars of our society are failing or showing cracks.

The judiciary is struggling with patchwork laws. The health service is struggling under the hardest working Health Minister ever; go figure. Corruption is rampant in the country – both the public and private sectors. It seems our only concern is to keep the deficit where it is even if we have to keep borrowing or burrowing.

Balancing a national budget is not providing for the generations to come, as the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund is not infinite. Some people have to take off their blinkers and see the reality our country is facing.

So the Children’s Authority is given the okay to investigate itself. Let’s not forget the orphanage scandal, where the orphanage findings were vastly different from the reality. When are we going to get a proper independent investigation into this matter? In as short a time as possible.

JOEL QUINTAL

San Fernando