The windshield cleaners form two groups: the ” street boys” who are under the age of 18  and are in law considered children ,and the adults. These “street boys windshield cleaners” are children ”at risk” and are in need of care and protection because they are neglected ,abused, abandoned , deprived of a stable life in a nurturing environment and above all deprived of an education that would render them productive members of the society.These” street boys windshield cleaners “suffer the most horrendous forms of emotional, psychological and sexual abuse.They are also the pawns in the hands of the hard core criminals who prey on their vulnerability. 

In law, these children are entitled to care and protection as prescribed by the Charter of Rights of the Child and supported by the Child Care and Protection Act of Jamaica.

To suggest that these children be given a T-shirt and some form of training to become better windshield cleaners shows a profound lack of respect for their rights as children of the land.

Is this a deliberate effort to keep them in the social mould where poverty has unfortunately placed them?Why the condescending and patronising offer of a T-shirt and some form of training that in essence serves to keep them down in their dysfunctional lifestyle? This solution is reminiscent of the attitude of the colonial masters towards their subjects. Give them a T-shirt, a few dollars, a treat at Christmas as long as they remain subserviant  and illiterate. This way, their services will always be available.They will never have the means to get out of their social condition and will continue to live clutched in the grip of poverty and hopelessness their rights as Jamaican children having been so recklessly trampled upon.Windshield cleaners today, beggars,drug pushers,gang members,dons in the garrisons tomorrow ,the cycle continues…

As children “at risk”they should have been apprehended by the C.D.A. Their cases should have been taken to court and above all their parents found and made to face their parental responsibilities.The C.D.A , the agency mandated to provide care and protection to children in need of care and protection did not face its responsibilities.The lack of residential facilities ,of staff and funds have ,over the years, hindered effective provisions for children at risk.

The Children’s Advocate responsible for the protection of the rights of all our children obviously did not apply enough pressure for the relevant authorities to take action on behalf of these children.

This revolting lack of interest in the welfare of our children” at risk” is the root cause of the arrest of the windshield cleaners.The windshield cleaners as children of the land have rights that should have been respected, at all cost,but alas this did not happen.The years have gone by and the “street boys windshield cleaners” are now “adult windshield cleaners”.Their dysfunctional childhood and teenage years have made of them criminals in some cases ,beggars and hustlers.Facing the responsibilities of “baby fathers” without any skill nor the upbringing to play the role they are now the dangerous ,utterly frustrated hustlers found at our street corners.Their behaviour is dangerous and unacceptable.Their removal by the police was necessary and inevitable.

The big question facing them and us as a people is what is the government doing to bring about meaningful changes in their lives.Has the Ministry of Youth formulated any programs that would offer literacy and skill training to these young men?Will the C.D.A apprehend the children ?will we as a people uproot our social prejudices and learn to respect all the children of this land as our children and put into practice the pricinples of true equality , fraternity and brotherhood.

Let us remember that from the smallest village to the biggest mansion each child is a link in the big chain that represents the Jamaican society.The strength of this chain lies in the strength of each link.Each one take one for a better Jamaica for a better world. The time is now.

Social prejudices, class stratification, endemic political corruption,corruption in all areas of bussiness,an educational system that needs restructuring in order to suit the needs of our children,a revolting  lack of adequate and suitable social programs for children and young people “at risk ”are all part of the fabric of Tivoli and all the other garrisons that now play havoc with Jamaica’s stability.

Some of the victims of this destabilising force are our young men.During the incursion they came from all corners of the island to participate in” the war”.Attracted by the prospects of making a “quick money” they were all prepared to risk their lives. One wonders if the total lack of hope in their empty lives prompted them to accept such an offer or if the wish to vent their own anger and frustration drove them to Tivoli and the other troubled areas.One thing that is absolutely certain is that had these young men been prepared to face the work force and  had they acquired an education and skills that could sustain them they would not have ventured into  the war zones and would not be ,today, begging at street corners displaying their dysfunctional aggressive behaviour, hustling to make a penny. During the incursion,truck loads of young men were taken to the National Arena and other detention centers. Once released, they again faced a life of hopelessness,a life of drug abuse, crime and self destruction.

The government’s failure to prepare these young men enabled the dons to prey on their vulnerability and use them to do the criminal acts that we are fighting against today.Some of these young men ,victims of  our own social crimes and political neglect started as street boys.To date ,there has been very little done to stem the flow of neglected and abused street boys at our street corners in Kingston as well as other large cities.

The endemic neglect of children “at risk” constitutes the seeds of delinquency and criminality bearing fruit today.

In the case of the windshield cleaners the police had no choice but to protect the public and remove them from the street corners.Their behaviour was totally unacceptable and quite dangerous at times.

Looking into the background of these young men one would realise that they have never been nurtured and cared for in a stable environment;they have never been loved; they have never been respected and have never been taught to respect others; their rights have been trampled upon so they now trample on the rights of others. Deprived of an education and of any sustainable skills they are left to survive by any means they can possibly reach.

What has the Ministry of Youth done for our young men at risk? What programs have been put in place to redirect their path in life?what has the Ministry of Youth done re the Possibility Program for street boys?The public is entitled to know what is being done for our young people.

The time has come for us as a people to set aside our prejudices and our indifference and demand better social programs for children and young people” at risk”and above all to participate in their implementation. The time has come to invest in humanity and create a safety net for our children”at risk”This is the only way we will be spared the pain of seeing our youg men arrested  and condemned to a life of hopelessness,helplessness,crime and self destruction. The time is now!!! Remember: Each child we save is a man or a woman of tomorrow we save. Each one take one for a better Jamaica ,for a better world.

Where is my dad?…

This question so often asked by children raised by a single mother bears a very heavy load of pain, anguish ,anxieties and mixed emotions.

These pains ,anxieties and emotions are rarely expressed in a manner that would elicit their true depth and impact on the mind of the affected children.

Too often mother who is carrying the burden of raising the child alone also carries an unhealthy baggage of anger and resentment towards the absent father. This creates an obstacle to the free expression of the child’s emotions and pain.

Where is my dad? who is my dad?…

There is in every human being the need to identify and know the other part of his/her being that is missing.

Psychologically the” missing part” plays havoc with the child ‘s sense of identity and stability.There is a natural longing to know and identify with that person.Unfortunately, the adults who together brought this child into the world too often do not settle their differences in a healthy manner. Accusations and blame throwing,violence and abusive behaviour towards each other weave the web in which the innocent child is caught.

In the development of a child a father plays a special role and brings in emotional and psychological elements that mother cannot offer. Unfortunately , the child who misses these vital elements is the victim who suffers silently and develops behavioural problems too often misunderstood.Mother bent on demonising the father does not realise the depth of the harm she is inflicting on the child.

Father on the other hand having rejected mother also rejects the child again victimising the child.His absence creates an uneasy sense  of loss and a longing that quite a few children find hard to bear. 

A  very serious situation arises however, when efforts are made to bring father into the life of the child. Father does not fit in.He is often demanding, harsh and somewhat uncaring towards the child that he identifies with mother.Again the child is the victim.

Another disturbing facet of this very complex situation is seen when father wants to exercise his rights to parent and care for his child. Mother blinded by her anger and her own sense of rejection finds herself in a vengeful mode.Unfounded, hurtful fabrications of abuse physical and sexual often are the path taken by the angry mother.She stops at nothing to demonise and keep father away. Her selfish motive is simply to destroy the man who no longer wants her. She sets aside her maternal need to care for and nurture  the child so bent is she in destroying the man she can no longer have. She goes as far as coaching the child to lie in order to continue her vendetta against father. Very sadly , in view of the fact that women are believed to be more caring than men father has a hard time convincing the authorities that he is innocent and simply wants to be a father to the child.

Mother’s cruelty knows no bound. The very child she claims to love becomes the pawn that she uses in her deadly game against father. The emotional scars born by the child are immeasurable.Useless to say that this situation creates a tremendous turmoil in the child’s mind.

In a girl,the game of manipulation and reckless selfishness played by mother stays with her.She herself becomes manipulative, selfish , demanding and lies to get her own way.She becomes a very troubled child who later on will have great difficulties establishing stable relationships with men.

In a boy’s mind there is anger towards women in view of the abuse meted out to his dad.He too observes and learns about the manipulations , lies and selfishnes. He might even get angry with his dad if he does not understand why he gets his mother so very upset and mean.This creates even more confusion in the child’s mind.This, he will carry into adulthood.

The importance of a father’s role in the life of  his children should never be underestimated and should be at all cost respected.The time has come for parents to realise that children should not become the victims of their broken relationship. They should realise that they both have a sacred responsibility to care and nurture their children sparing them the pain and emotional scars their conflicts  inflict on the very children that they both brought into this world.  Adults must reconsider their position and bring changes in the way they manage their relationsip.SPARE THE CHILDREN.THE TIME IS NOW!!!!

The words stir our emotions, a disturbing mixture of anger, sadness, pity and revolt,but unfortunately they do not drive us to action. Is it an apathetic reaction to a situation that has become so putrid, so endemic that our psyche has learnt over the years to set it aside and continue with life?…

The plight of our children “in care” goes deeper than the lack of space in the Places of Safety, the lack of children’s homes, the lack of foster care parents not to mention the endemic incompetence of the authorities in charge of their welfare.

It is a very insidious social cancer. It stems from the social prejudices so very deeply embedded in our social consciousness that we have placed the children “in care” in a class of their own and we simply do not care about their welfare and their rights.

There is also the lack of political will to effect changes and put money at the disposal of the hurting children of the land.Children are the voiceless beings in the political arena. They are the ones without a vote. They do not have any pull in the political fight for power.They are the children of the masses:”poor pickney”, “ghetto pickney”,inner city pickney” black pickney “BAD PICKNEY” .They are treated without respect, tenderness,understanding  and love. They are psychologically abused by the mere fact that they are so brutally rejected. Deprived of an education they are set in a mould of misfits to become later on the unemployable.Their numbers will swell the ranks of the downtrodden ,the innercity people the marginalised of the society.

The C.D.A the agency responsible for the care and protection of children “in care”has become grossly ineffective.For years there has been absolutely no change in the archaic methods of placement, the assessment of children prior to placement and during placement, the preparation of parents to better parent their children and face their parental responsibilities,and above all, any constructive changes in the administration of the institutions under its supervision.

Very sadly the head of the C.D.A. Mrs Anderson McLean says that she has made representations at different levels, but these representations bore no fruits.Obviously , she did not have the will nor the determination to pursue the issues in order to effect the changes that would have alleviated the pain and suffering of the children placed in her care.

The overcrowded Places of Safety are palpable proof of the lack of vision, understanding and initiative at the head of the machinery that sets things in motion. The method of placement that has for decades placed children in situations much more destructive than the one they left behind shows a total lack of sensitivity to the needs of the children. The fact that so many of the children” in care” end up in a psychiatric ward is again  a palpable proof that the conditions and treatment are traumatic and harmful.

The enquiry into the Armadale Tragedy gave us a glimpse of the horror chambers where the children “in care” are  housed.The treatment meted out to the children was simply inhumane and in breach of the United Nation’s Convention
 on the Rights of the Child and the Child Care and Protection Act.They live in what I call a “Jamaican Stalag”.This points to a profound lack of respect for the children of the land.The head of the Correctional Services’actions and inactions in the Armadale tragedy have proven once more that the reckless manner in which the children are treated shows how they are perceived. They are the” bad pickney dem” who need serious chastising and” handling”.Tear gas and prolonged “lock down”  are the form of punishment that will make them behave.They are not worthy of respect,  love, counselling and care.In contrast we should take a look at the boarding school facilities for middle class and upper middle class children . Has one ever heard of mass abuse of these children? How much would it cost us to establish similar facilities for our children “in care”? Again the matter of the wrong perception of children “in care” comes into play.

The Child’s Advocate has been as apathetic in the performance of her duties as the head of the C.D.A and the head of the Correctional Services. Her sugar coated report to Parliament certainly did not reveal the conditions exposed by Manfred Nowak from the United Nation’s Development Program. In her role of protector of children’s rights she has failed to approach her work with determination,decisiveness and effectiveness.In the Armadale tragedy her nonchalent performance contributed to the suffering and pain of the girls. Had she been to Armadale ,she would have seen first hand the conditions under which the girls were living. Instead, she took the easy path and simply wrote a report on the over crowded conditions at the  institution.This spells out sheer incompetence.

The time for drastic changes is now.Our children need the protection of the law and the care of the authorities in charge of their welfare.The time has come to weed out of the system the incompetent and ineffective workers from the highest level to the lowest.The time has come to establish an efficient machinery that will oversee the services offered to our children.Let us look at the statistics in the areas of missing children, raped children, victims of incests and victims of murder and let us invest in humanity and do something for our children.THE TIME IS NOW.

The centralisation of children’s affairs should be a priority. As it stands the fragmentation of the system that oversees the care ,protection and education of children “in care” creates crucial problems that have become endemic and are adversely affecting the welfare of the children thus the Armadale tragedy.There should be a MINISTRY OF CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS with a minister who will present a proper budget for the affairs of children and be accountable for the effective and sound management of all the  institutions and services under its portfolio.

The present method of placement should be radically changed and the laws enforcing parental responsibilities applied.Parents need to feel the weight of the laws that deal with neglect and abuse of children.The Prime Minister’s warning to careless and abusive parents is badly needed at this stage in order to stem the flow of children into the system.Getting children into care is not the answer. Enforcing parental responsibilities and establishing non residential protection of children at risk should be part of the solution. 

Children who are victims of rape ,incest and sexual abuse should be placed in an “Emergency Treatment Home” with caregivers who are trained to understand their particular situation.

Children coming from a broken home should be placed in a “Group Foster Home” for a limited period of time.There in a substitute family setting they will be raised in an environment much more nurturing than what is offered in the Places of Safety.They will attend school and will not be deprived of an academic education.Under a court order  parents should attend parenting classes in order to better parent their children on their return home.Such placements are temporary placements and require full parental participation in order to ensure that the children will return into the family fold.

Children with very dysfunctional behavioral problems should be placed in “ Specialised Group Homes” where the ratio of children to staff is such that due care and attention can be paid to the children in order to effect lasting rehabilitation. The parents should be compelled by a court order to participate in the rehabilitation process of their children and be prepared to take them back into the family fold.Children with severe behavioral problems do not belong in adult correctional facilities and certainly not in facilities where they are treated like had core criminals.

At this time of our history,unfortunatley, our children” in care “are treated like the rejects of society. Their human rights are blatantly violated by the very people in authority who should offer them care and protection when their parents fail to do so.The psychological impact of life in an overcrowded, dehumanising environment stays with the children for ever. In essence the children are psychologically maimed and their development tragically stunted.Deprived of love ,respect and tender care they are thrown into a mode of helplessness and hopelessness unable to attain their full potential as human beings.This must change and the time is now.

To conclude I would like to say once more that for every child we save now is a man or a woman of tomorrow we save. Each one take one for a better Jamaica and a better world.

The mass adoption of Haitian children  right after the earthquake presents very serious concerns.

In the midst of the existing chaos the proper channels for adoption are totally ignored and the mass adoption of Haitian children is nothing but illegal procedures in breach of the rules and regulations set out in the Charter of Rights of the child.The great number of children taken to the U.S, France and Canada will undoubtedly swell the ranks of social misfits and the displaced people in the world.

Statistics have proven that the majority of black children adopted by white parents suffer psychological problems due to the fact that they do not identify with their adoptive parents.The deep sense of rejection felt in the midst of their identity crisis scars them for life.Adjusting to their school environment presents a set of very complex  problems that go beyond the school and reach the community where the children live.It is sinful to subject innocent children to a future of frustration and the painful trauma of not belonging.

In the face of all this some very important questions arise:

1-Who in Haiti decided to break the rules set out by the Charter of Rights of the Child to put in effect this mass adoptions?

2-Were proper records of these adoptions kept? 

3-Where were the authorities attached to the United Nations and Unicef when these precipitated adoptions were taking place?

4-Who in the Haitian government ratified this move which can only be called one of the most blatant form of exploitation.Was the thinking behind this move that the country being down the time was ripe to take its children, its future?

At a time when human trafficking is a scourge on the world ,the Haitian government is indeed careless in the handling of these adoptions.Obviously there is no sound system in place that sees to the protection of the Haitian children in time of shattering disaster or in more stable times.Are the children being sacrificed for the gain of badly needed financial aid and support?I shudder to think that such is the case in this mass adoption of Haitian children.

The city of Port-au-Prince lies in ruin, but the reconstruction of Haiti should be on a solid foundation on which its children can stand respected, nurtured as God’s children and children of the land. They are the future.

Let there be” children villages” where caring Haitians will raise the orphans. Let these children retain their Haitian identity, their right to the language of their land. Let them grow up in an environment that will nurture their social and cultural identity. Let the beat of the drums resonate in their soul.Let the Haitian children remain Haitian true children of Dahomey, Guinea Togo and Benin.Let us not sell the children of the land to a foreign land ,a foreign culture.

The rebuilding of Haiti will be done. The roads reopened,the cities rebuilt and above all, the establishment of intitutions with rules and regulations that embrace the visions of the 21st century for the freedom, liberty and the protection of the human rights for every Haitian.

The waves pounded against the vessels

Tossing them mercilessly oblivious of their human cargo.

Black faces: men ,women, brothers,sisters,

In the dark holes of slave ships go forth on a long journey

Destined to an island”The Pearl of the New World”

It was then the  days of slavery.

A dark era when justice did not prevail

When white mercenaries and black brothers traders

Gambled ruthlessly with the souls of others.

The waves pounded against the light vessels

Tossing them mercilessly oblivious of their human cargo.

Black faces: men ,women brothers,sisters

In fishing boats seek a new world.

Their ebony skin parched by a relentless sun.

Their psyche torn by pain,grief and shattered hopes.

Haitian people, black boat people.

Human pawns in the hands of white political mercenaries.

Human dices in the hands of their very own

Who gamble cynically with their destiny, their very soul.

It is now the twentieth century

An era of political emancipation

When the white man still conceives schemes

That will destroy his black brothers

And sustain his white supremacy.

It is an era of so called democracy

when black brothers traders

Trade their very own for wealth

That they alone will enjoy.

The waves pounded against the vessels

Tossing them mercilessly oblivious of their human cargo.

Black faces: men,women,brothers ,sisters

On U.S Coast Guard  boats go on a long journey

Returning to an island “The Poorest of the Third World”

 It is once more the days of slavery.

A dark era when justice and freedom do not prevail.

When white liberals and military black brothers traders

Gamble ruthlessly with the soul of others.

Haitian people,black boat people.

Slavery, democracy,justicce, freedom

Human rights, genocide.

History repeats itself,ironical cynical,unequivocal.

This poem is dedicated to the memory of the Haitians who drowned in Florida waters in 1993 victims of American reckless political  manipulations.There was at the time a military government in Haiti  an unfortunate contributor to the Haitian exodus that caused the death of thousands of Haitians.

In the face of this vitally important move let us hope that the appropriate facilities will be provided for these children.At all cost, the government should avoid the overcrowded institutions that literally destroy our children in care.

Let us invest in humanity and save our children.

For each child we save is a man /a woman of tomorrow we save. Each one take one for a better Jamaica a better world.

The cruel and  inhumane treatment meted out to the children entrusted into the care of the government tears apart the very fabric of respect, love and justice.A very disturbing element that has also showed itself in the unraveling of this tragedy is the misuse of power and authority that has resulted in endemic incompetence and reckless management.

At the head of the stream there is the Children’s Advocate whose responsibility according to the New act is to “protect and enforce the rights of children  and promote  their well being and welfare.”

When the Children’s Advocate became aware of the overcrowded conditions prevailing at Armadale she did not pay a visit to the institution ,but held two meetings in relation to the issue to expedite the matter of reducing the number of children residing at the institution.Obviously, the Children ‘s  Advocate was only concerned in reducing the number of children without seeing for herself the suffering of the children who lived in such cramped,unsafe quarters. The Act demands that the Children’s Advocate investigate situations deemed harmful to  children in care .Did she realise that the overcrowded conditions had far reaching consequences that would be very harmful to the children? She had the duty to go and see first hand the inhumane conditions in which the girls were living and report to Parliament.She failed to investigate and use the authority invested in her to bring about changes that would improve the lot of the children in that institution. The fact that she did not go shows a  lack of judgement in the performance of her duty and a misuse of her authority in this issue.Had she been to the institution  she would have heard of the prolonged ,inhumane “lock down” imposed on the girls. She would have spoken to the girls about their needs, their pains and suffering. She did not judge this visit necessary although the welfare of 23 girls depended on her personal assessment.In simple words she showed  incompetence that has contributed to the making of this terrible tragedy.Seven children  have died and nine have been maimed. So what! She is still employed and  life goes on. …

The Commisionner of Corrections knew that the dorm did not meet the international requirements but did nothing to stop the housing of 23 girls in that  particular makeshift dorm. The dorm is unsafe, but let us put the children there  anyway.She obviously did not have the best interest of the girls in mind when she participated in the decision making of housing the girls in the unsafe dorm.The shameful game of blame shifting and hiding behind the shades of responsibilities and duties is revolting.The superintendent devoid of any form of training for such an important job should according to the commisionner bear the brunt of the blame for housing the girls in the unsafe dorm.This attitude on the part of the commisionner very sadly spells out the blatant lack of love and respect due to our children and their God given rights to care and protection.The seven girls perished but she keeps her job. Life goes on….

The superintendent of Armadale feels completely shielded by her ignorance  having had no training for this position.Her profound lack of respect for the welfare and well being of the girls,however, allowed her to run a first class “JAMAICAN STALAG”. She did absolutely nothing to change the rules of prolonged “lock down”. She knew about the use of buckets instead of toilets.She knew the girls did not get enough food and ate with their hands while on “lock down”.She knew that there was only one exit door out of the dorm. She knew that girls slept on the floor in the bathroom . She knew that girls were deprived of the basic form of counselling, of activities meant to rehabilitate them. She knew that the girls did not have an academic program. She knew that the girls had no social contact outside of the contact with the other inmates.She knew that the girls did not receive proper medical care.  She had the duty to report the abuse meted out to the girls but did nothing about it. Seven girls died and nine are maimed so … Surely, she still has her job, gets her pay and again life goes on… 

The C.D.A  in charge of placement when children are sent to a Place of Safety  continues to feed the system regardless of the horrendous conditions.The fact that Armadale was overcrowded was nothing new.The children have to be placed. Behind bars or not;properly fed or not;educated or not ;counselled or not; rehabilitated or not; mentally ill and not treated or not; physically ill and not properly treated or not. So what! the job of placement is done. The executive staff is still employed. They are paid. Life goes on….

The police officer who threw the Han Ball grenade in the dorm is guilty of a very serious crime. His brutal act certainly contributed to the death of the seven girls and the maiming of several others.It was down right criminal.He knew that the girls were locked up in the dorm and could not have escaped the fumes. They were left there to suffocate and die.This is the most outrageous misuse of power and authority in this terrible tragedy. Noone has mentioned that the officer in question has been taken off regular duties pending the outcome of the proceedings so it is understood that he is working and getting his pay. The seven girls have died and life goes on….

The pernicious abuse of authority and power invested in the executive workers will continue to fester and imperil the lives of our children in care.Unfortunately, the political will needed to brave the troubled waters of reckless management and endemic incompetence is sadly lacking. No one cares about the treaties signed. No one cares about the Act. It is just paper work. Furthermore, these children are just “government pickney”.Their lives are expendable. Their numbers will never stop growing. After all ,poor people never stop “breed”. Place the children anywhere , anyway. Some will burn ,some will live. So it go! More will come! Life must go on…

When will we ever see justice for our children in care? TIME WILL TELL AND GOD NOT SLEEPING….

Remember, for every child we save is a man /a woman  of the future we save. Each one take one for a better Jamaica for a better world.

1- Does the police authority allow the use of Han Ball CS grenades in enclosed environments? What is the policy concerning the use of tear gas and Han Ball CS grenades in enclosed environments?

2-Why was the Han Ball grenade given to corporal Lawrence Burrel  without the proper entry being made in the station’s record book and  without him signing for receiving it?

3-When did the fire inspector examine the site? was it contaminated before his arrival?

4-Did anyone recover fragments  of the grenade thrown into the dorm?

5 -Isn’t it a fact that the Han Ball  CS grenade has inner compartments containing chemicals that explode at different times and scatter landing at different locations thus starting different “seats ” of fire? 

6- Isn’t it a fact that the Hand Ball grenade has chemicals that are similar to chemicals found in gasoline when broken down?

7-Isn’t it a fact that the Han Ball grenade should not be deployed indoors due to its fire producing capability and because it is a fast burning, high volume grenade that scatters when it explodes?

8-Was a Han Ball grenade used at Armadale before May 22nd ?

9-Who gave the order for the deployment of the Han Ball grenade?

10- When did the experts visit the crime scene? Had the scene been contaminated prior to their visit?

11- Who eventually opened the door leading to the dorm?

12-When did members of staff who came to work the following day look into the dorm?

13-The girls being on “lock down” where could they have found the accelerant being referred to by the expert?

14-The girls being on “lock down ” did the authorities search the dorm to ensure that nothing was left in the  possession of the girls that could be harmful to them?

15- There was a television set on a bed and it is said to have exploded. Has anyone tested the chemicals found in that  particular explosion?  

16- Has any medical doctor examine the survivors to  determine the  side effects of the gas and fumes they inhaled?

17-Are the suvivors receiving adequate mental health care after the trauma  of the fire?

18- When was the autopsy performed on the victims?

19-Did anyone search the dorm after the fire to ensure that no one was left inside?

20- Did the superintendent go in the dorm the following  morning? Who was with her if and when she did go?

21-Who took the bodies out of the dorm?

22-Who supervised the removal of the bodies from the dorm?

23- Is corporal Burrel still actively working despite the fact that he is involved in such a serious matter?

The questions abound  and it is hoped that the answers will  shed some light on the burning question:Who is responsible for the death of the seven girls and the maiming of several others? Again I reiterate my cry for justice. JUSTICE  MUST BE GIVEN TO THE VICITMS OF ARMADALE.