Trinidad and Tobago failing its children

THE EDITOR: I write to express my concern about government's disregard for victims of child abuse.

TT is grappling with a high incidence of abuse against children. Our government is both legally and morally obligated to take decisive action against increasing crimes against children.

It is evident there is a continued neglect of our youth's welfare, as seen from the lack of support in terms of proper funding and staffing of critical institutions such as the Children's Authority, which operates under the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs).

Over the years, the authority's unmanageable case-load has overwhelmed the system. This has left children from infancy to adolescence without essential services such as accommodation, security, counselling, and legal aid.

With repeated cuts, funding for child welfare takes a backseat to other sectors like infrastructure and healthcare. Government allocated $150 million to child welfare in the 2023/2024 budget. However, parliamentary inquiries reveal a failure to fully comply with funding commitments.

Fortunately, there are cases in which our courts have condemned the State for not meeting its legal obligations to children under both national and international laws. This legal framework will continue to hold the state accountable for actions that breach child protection standards.

However, transparency and accountability of State expenditure remain crucial to ending mismanagement in child protection agencies.

Moving forward, we must become the mouthpiece of our children in TT and advocate for financial investment in the safety of the nation's most vulnerable demographic.

Caricom must also hold member states accountable for their failure to uphold agreed upon standards of child protection.

NIRVANA M. ARJOONSINGH

St Augustine