In a media release on Wednesday, the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services said it has taken note of recent media coverage surrounding governance and management issues at the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society.
Acknowledging the TTRCS as a valued stakeholder in the delivery of social services, the ministry disclosed that it currently has no financial relationship with the organisation due to compliance issues relating to the submission of audited financial statements.
The ministry added that it anticipates that the appropriate governance mechanisms within the TTRCS will be activated.
In response to the leaked report from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Monday, the TTRCS maintained that the document, which has made its way into the public domain, presents an incomplete picture of the organisation’s operations.
The Society explained that the Mission Report was initiated at the request of its President, Jill De Bourg, and was intended to support institutional strengthening, not disciplinary action. The report, based on a visit conducted in December 2024, included consultations with more than 25 stakeholders.
The TTRCS said it is now conducting a full review of the document and will formally respond to the IFRC while also probing how the confidential material was leaked.
The Executive Committee said many of the issues raised in the report lacked supporting evidence and that several of the recommended actions were either already in progress or completed, including the long-outstanding financial audits, which are now expected to be finalised by August.
The Red Cross is calling on all stakeholders, including the media and international partners, to avoid weaponising internal documents without proper context.