OPPOSITION MP – Government’s Policies Do Not Reflect Equality and Inclusion for Every Child
While the world will be celebrating World Children’s Day, with this year’s theme being equality and inclusion for every child, MP for Princes Town, Barry Padarath says that it is a sad day for the children of Trinidad and Tobago, since so many of them remain disadvantaged, traumatized and impoverished as a direct result of the policies and actions of the government, thereby creating inequality of opportunity and inclusion for our nation’s children.
The Princes Town MP and Shadow Minister with responsibility for Children Affairs lamented that many of our nation’s children have either fallen out of the education system or have performed badly academically because of their inability to access devices and internet connectivity during the pandemic. The MP believes that the government is responsible for this situation because of their policy with respect to the procurement and distribution of devices. He lamented that the lack of political will by the government to ensure every child was properly equipped to compete in a technologically driven environment, especially in a pandemic which created further inequalities between the haves and the have-nots.
The MP noted that it was not only in the sphere of education that we are seeing these inequalities among the nation’s children but sadly we also see them in the health sector. The Princes Town MP is calling on the government to operationalize the Couva Children’s Hospital in the way that it was meant to be used. Padarath said that many families who could not send their children for surgeries and specialty care abroad needed the hospital to be functioning with health-care professionals, specialized in particular areas of pediatric medicine. He further added that while those who have the means to take their children abroad for treatment is all well and fine, there are many families who simply cannot afford it, resulting in the prolonged suffering and ultimate demise of their child. He repeated his call once more to amend the Children’s Life Fund Act to allow more children and their families to be able to access the fund. Padarath said, as the fund currently stands, the existing legislation and administration to access the fund needs to be revised to meet the demands of a changing socio economic environment.
The MP said that the theme Equality and Inclusion meant that regardless of where children come from, which geographic area, which socioeconomic background, they should have equal opportunities and it is clear that those who have, are at a greater advantage and there seems to be no plan or policy to bring about equality and inclusion with respect to the right of the child. Padarath further stated that this government, in fact, seems to promote segregation and hand picking, citing the scholarship selection process as one clear example of this.
Padarath ended by pointing to the Justice Judith Jones report which he said clearly shows this year’s theme is in no way reflected in government’s policy in terms of how they treat with our nation’s children. He stated that there seems to be no urgency in treating with matters affecting our nation’s children as it relates to the completion of schools from Siparia to Port of Spain, or the implementation of the recommendations from the Judith Jones report.
MP for Princes Town
Mr Barry Padarath