St Jude’s School for Girls gets new management committee

MINISTER of Gender and Child Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy has urged the new management of the St Jude’s School for Girls "to feel the weight of their duty of care."

Webster-Roy, a minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, told the 13-member committee on August 28, “Your accountability is to the girls in this school who depend on you, the government who has appointed you, and the citizens who put their trust in you.”

She spoke at an official ceremony at the school in Diego Martin.

Webster-Roy thanked the committee members for their willingness to serve and wished them all success in their service "to our vulnerable children."

The committee will serve for two years under the chairmanship of Dr Talia R Esnard.

A release from the ministry said, "Webster-Roy’s message to the committee highlighted both their authority, as well as their responsibility to proficiently manage risk and use resources in accordance with the relevant legislative, institutional and policy framework. The committee was assigned with the welfare, protection, support and progress of the girls in the care of the school, so they can successfully transition and reintegrate into society.

Acting permanent secretary in the ministry Vijay Gangapersad cautioned the committee to stand its ground and address the current gaps in the continuum of care.

Outgoing chair Marsha Bailey, noted the newly implemented, robust social-work department and reiterated the need to give the girls their best opportunity at life.

St Jude's acting manager Deoraj Sookdeo also said they were making steady progress in evolving St Jude’s into the premier care and protection institution in the Caribbean.

Esnard thanked Bailey for her service and expressed her full commitment to doing her duty in the best interest of the girls.

The ministry said while government was working to improving state care, it continues to aggressively pursue deinstitutionalisation.

It said its aim was that if children are removed from their natural families, more family-style options such as foster care, kinship care and adoption should be engaged.

The St Jude’s School for Girls was moved from Belmont to the former St Michael's School for Boys in Diego Martin after fire destroyed the second floor of a building in 2023.

The December 2021 Judith Jones report on children’s homes revealed rampant abuse at the school.

Committee members:

Chair: Dr Talia R Esnard

Steve Noreiga, Stacy Benjamin-Roach, Dr Varma Deyalsingh, Dr Abdul Haleem Hamid, Irma Bailey-Reyes, Dr Ayinka Nurse-Carrington, Patricia Hinds, Elvin Scanterbury, Karen Robley, Cyril Barran, Natalie Robinson-Arnold, and Anuola Cox-Olubode.