Child Protection Director fumes over disparaging treatment of officers

Apr 26, 2014 News

Although an individual accused of child abuse has the right to be adequately defended in a Court of Law, Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene, has underscored that protecting abused children is just as important.

Director of Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene

Greene’s deduction was made in light of the fact that on numerous occasions Child Protection Officers have been the subject of derision.
According to Greene, the existing state of affairs is that only few cases of abuse are brought before the Courts. She intimated to this publication that “to get a case before the courts is like pulling teeth. And when a case does appear the investigating officer and the Child Care Agency are subjected to the worst form of put down and ridicule.”
She recalled that such an incident was evident as recent as Thursday last when a young Child Protection Officer was involved in a case of serious harm to a child. The matter, Greene said, was investigated by Police and enough evidence was uncovered to bring the matter before a Magistrate.
It was in fact the inaugural court hearing for the Child Protection Officer who was accompanied by other senior colleagues for support. But according to Greene the Child Protection team was greeted with a valley of derogatory words by the defence lawyer. Greene disclosed that instead of using the skills of his profession to adequately represent his client, the lawyer resorted to bullyism to scare the officers by openly telling them “they aren’t any good.”
In addition to other unsubstantiated statements, Greene said that the lawyer added insult to injury when he voiced his derogatory utterances in the presence of the presiding Magistrate.
“Why are the officers not any good? Is it because he had a case that did not go the way he wished? We are told that is the problem. Then he needs to look at his skills as a defence lawyer,” Greene observed.
“How are we ever going to be able to protect children in this society when there is a complete lack of sensitivity and support for the National Systems that are set up to protect children? Children are being hurt in the worst ways; they are being maimed and disfigured for life and most of it is at the hands of those who should care and protect them the most – primary care givers.”
Moreover, Greene questioned, “Where have the professional ethics gone?” She recounted that back in the day ethics were high particularly in the court system. “My days go back from coming as a young girl to listen to court cases, to listen to arguments put forward by Hon. J.O.F. Haynes, Fred Wills and the Luckhoos.”
Greene disclosed how she later went on to become an Officer of the Courts and had encounters with “those honourable gentlemen” who were Lawyers and Magistrates in the 80s and early 90s. She spoke glowingly of the Lawyers then, who according to her, would have “in the case I am referring…thanked the officers for doing their jobs and then go on to brilliantly defend their client, using the weaknesses in the case.
The Magistrates, too, in those days, Greene said, would not have allowed an officer of the court to be disrespected in his presence. “I recall many a time when a Lawyer would be admonished for acting in a manner not befitting the profession and the Magistrate even apologising on behalf of the Lawyer for undue remarks meted out to an officer of the Court,” the Child Protection Director added.
“It is a sad day when Public Officers can be attacked and bullied in a System to uphold the law. Why should young officers be subjected to ridicule for doing their jobs?” queried Greene, as she pointed out that the job of child protection is no easy task.
“We are not going anywhere if this is allowed to continue. Who will take up the fight for children? Child protection is everybody’s business.”
She underscored that “if the skills and ethics of the Lawyer in question are to attack the Court Officers and the Agency and be allowed to get away with it, there is much to be desired now in the legal profession and in the Courts.”