By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Staff Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
Amid concerns regarding the much-anticipated domestic violence shelter, Minister of Social Services Myles Laroda stated that it is on the government's agenda and will be realized shortly.
While in Grand Bahama on Thursday, the minister was asked about the status of the government-promised shelter for victims and survivors of domestic violence.
“Stay tuned, it is coming; it is on the agenda, he told The Tribune. The government, as we speak, is in the process of acquiring a facility which has already been identified.
“It is just going through the paperwork and the acquisition. We won’t say the place because we want to protect those individuals who would be staying there. But stay tuned. Words say anything; we will lead by example; we show better than we can tell.”
Even though some $500,000 has been allocated by the government for the establishment of a facility, FNM Senator Maxine Seymour, Shadow Minister for Social Services, said women are still awaiting a promised shelter.
Women groups have been advocating for a safe haven that will provide relief for abused women and girls from their abusers.
There have also been criticisms that the Department of Gender and Family Affairs has been ineffective.
Mr Laroda also challenged claims that there is no director and that the Department has done nothing of substance, even during the Global 16 Days Campaign and Women’s History Month.
He noted that a director was appointed to the department, adding that Melvelyn Symonette had been there for a while. Prior to the appointment, he said Dr Jacinta Higgs had been appointed by the former administration to serve as the director.
Comments
stillwaters 3 weeks, 4 days ago
Better have some stringent rules for the women you take into this shelter. Seriously, some of them will try to move the same man battering them into that shelter.
TalRussell 3 weeks, 4 days ago
Dangerous if the government buys a property and building under a cloud of secrecy --- Perfect excuse if to hide something politically fishy. --- Good Day!
ThisIsOurs 3 weeks, 3 days ago
The govt has been moving swiftly to do a wide range of "good" things within the past maybe 6-8 months. Good that they're doing them but their good is constantly undermined by hubris of multiple ministers, "we dont answer to you", a prime minister often out to lunch on key issues as well as supporting excessive spending for his travel and some really bad decisions on the things that touch bahamian pocket books, energyprice control in addition to increased taxes/fees everywhere. If they had come out the gate with these initiatives or even laid out a plan to say these are the things were going to do and this is the timeline with visible evidence of things moving along the reasonable non campaign modelled timeline, I might have a different view of these initiatives.
TalRussell 3 weeks, 3 days ago
@ComradeThisIsOurs, no more would today's womans' entrust the current mans' and womans' House-seated and politically appointed than they untrusted the previous RedShirts and PLPs. ---- With having access to sensitive physical and emotional abuse files in intimate relationships. --- Good Day!
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