Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services, Vandana Mohit, is accusing the former administration of leaving behind serious problems at the Children’s Authority as she defended Government’s handling of the agency.
“Why must I communicate excessively with a board who’s receiving advice from Trincity/ Maloney? Why must I do that? Mr. Speaker, a board who has been undermining the work of this Government.”
Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services, Vandana Mohit, is questioning the future of the Children’s Authority board, claiming employees are dissatisfied with its leadership and eager for a change.
“I want to share with the national public here today that the Children’s Authority employees cannot wait for the board to go. They don’t want this board. They don’t like this board, Mr. Speaker. They cannot wait. The countdown is on.”
She also raised concerns about the board’s handling of foster-care placements.
“Preference for a child of African descent and for a child of Christian faith on a long or medium-term foster care basis. Mr. Speaker, this isn’t board minutes. They are discussing children’s ethnicity when assigning them to foster care. Mr. Speaker, the board raised no objection to racism and religious discrimination. Where’s your voice on that? Where is your voice on that?”
Beyond the boardroom dispute, the Minister said visits to Children’s Homes exposed several problems.
“I said, why so much money on fuel and children not reaching for their assessments? Mr. Speaker, we dropped the bill. By $50,000, we reduced the fuel bill. Mr. Speaker, we couldn’t find children we were paying for in these homes. We couldn’t find them. Mr. Speaker, and you paying money for them. I wrote the Attorney General, and I want to share with the PNM, the matter has gone to the Commissioner of Police.”
The Minister announced that the Government has allocated $150M to the Children’s Authority for fiscal 2027, insisting that additional resources are being directed towards the protection and care of vulnerable children.