Saturday, June 17 2006

NO ONE at the Ministry of Social Development has been able to tell Newsday what has become of the promised investigation into the tragic death of baby Amy Emily Anamunthodo who was allegedly murdered on May 15 after a lifetime of abuse.

Newsday has made repeated calls to the Ministry of Social Development but so far staff have either been unavailable to talk or do not know anything about how the investigation is proceeding. At a post-Cabinet news conference a month ago, Minister of Legal Affairs, Christine Kangaloo, who was acting Minister of Social Development, announced that retired Justice Monica Barnes would investigate the perceived failures of various authorities to protect the child despite her having suffered a documented history of abuse.

When Newsday called the ministry three weeks ago the paper was told by a spokesman that Minister of Social Development Anthony Roberts was not aware of the details of the probe and that it should instead talk to the Chief Technical Officer, Jacinta Bailey-Sobers.

Newsday eventually got through to her, but she too was in the dark.

She refered Newsday to acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Jurawan, but on the three ocassions when called, Newsday was told he was out of the office or in a meeting.

Yesterday lunchtime Newsday asked to speak to Jurawan’s secretary and the secretary of the normal Permanent Secreatary but was told that both persons were unavailable, with one being out of the office and the other having “left for the day.”