WITH numerous cases of elderly neglect, child abuse and domestic violence in the mining town of Linden and by extension Region 10, the Ministry of Social Protection is seeking out various solutions to address the problem and is considering building safe houses in the region. This was brought out during discussions recently among Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland, Deputy Mayor Waneka Arindell, Chairman of the Social Development Committee Keeran Williams, representatives of various Non-Governmental Organisations in Linden, including For the Children’s Sake Foundation, Linden Youth Leaders and Linden Care, staff of various day care centres, staff of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, Director of Social Services Wentworth Tanner, his Deputy Abeka Benjamin and several staff members of the Department of Social Services.
Mayor Holland revealed that he recently held discussions with Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence, during which the alarming cases of sexual abuse against children, especially in the riverine and outlying communities, were revealed. There were also complaints of cases of elderly neglect in Linden and the minister in promptly responding to the situation, sent a team to Linden to investigate.
Director of Social Services, Wentworth Tanner, said that the ministry will be establishing partnerships with the NGOs in the region so as to better tackle the issue. “We would like to start by building capacity in those groups, providing people with information, [and] creating sensitisation and awareness, so that persons can identify cases of abuse and things like that,” he said.
The ministry is also looking at establishing another office on the Wismar shore so that persons would not have to travel to Mackenzie to benefit from social services. In addition, the ministry will be establishing an elderly home in Linden as there is a need for this. Tanner revealed that though the ministry’s budget for 2017 has already been closed and an entire building cannot be built immediately, there is a possibility that a building can be rented or renovated to provide accommodation for the elderly who need same urgently. It was suggested that the Dorfolk Elderly Home located in Retrieve can be used as a home for the elderly, but will need extensive repairs. Another vacant government building located in Watooka was suggested to be used as a safe home for abused women and children.
Tanner encouraged regional officials to get involved in the ministry’s upcoming 16 days of activism, campaigning against gender based-violence. The activities will be held from the 25th of November to the 10th December. Mayor Holland revealed that Linden will however host its activism day on the 20th November, when there will be a ride- a- ton. Everyone is expected to wear orange which is the official colour representing the fight against gender-based violence.