Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:25 AM
Jul 26, 2016 Editorial
It is very sad to write about the horrible deaths of six-year- old Joshua George and his brother four-year-old Antonio who perished in a fire at the state-run Drop-in-Centre on Hadfield Street on July 8, 2016. We are pained to chronicle the unfortunate events leading to the deaths of the two brothers.
Those who would attempt to rationalize death in circumstances like these would offer the comfort that only the good die young. But that is poor comfort for the parents deprived of their sons. As the parents grieve and the nation mourns, there is a great deal to be said.
No one with a place in their heart for humanity can but be saddened by the deaths of Joshua and Antonio George. The loss which their parents have suffered as a result of the decision by the Child Care and Protective Agency (CCPA) is a loss shared by the entire nation.
We should recognize the humanity and brotherly love of six-year-old Joshua, who was heading to safety outside the building but after realizing that his brother was still inside the inferno, went back into the building to rescue him.
Full of courage, Joshua, at such a tender age, had no fear of death. He did not know that the chill hand of death would have touched both of them. Such sterling qualities are rare in mankind.
The deaths of Joshua and Antonio George should impose on us the duty to pressure the government to provide better care for children. It must practice what it preaches that children are our future. To say that the government is responsible for the deaths of the two brothers is poor comfort for the grieving parents. Death is not easy for anyone. Losing a child is heartbreaking for parents and relatives.
Removing the children from filthy living conditions was the right decision, but placing them in an overcrowded building with only two staff is inconsiderate and wrong. According to experts, the building has the capacity to house about a dozen children, but it had more than twice that number. It was a recipe for disaster that came to pass.
No one can predict when accidents will happen. But if the children were in danger and their mother was a victim of domestic violence, then the CCPA should have offered her counseling and placed her and her children in a comfortable home. It could have, and offered her money to take care of them.
Whatever were the faults of the parents, they, like most parents, love their children but unfortunately, they did not have the resources to provide for them. They are genuinely hurt by the deaths of their two sons. The CCPA must be condemned for its reckless decision which has taken two young lives.
To be clear, we fully support the decision of the CCPA to remove the children and place them in a safe location. But a safe location should not and cannot be that overcrowded small two-flat building with only two staff. And for the President to say that evidence of dereliction of duty is needed to remove the Minister is hogwash.
If the deaths of Joshua and Antonio George are not enough evidence of dereliction of duty, then what is? It seems that nothing is logical about this government which is known for its cheap talk but no action. Action speaks louder than words.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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