Many have been making inquires about the TV program of Antena3 TV Espejo-Publico said a spokesperson of The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement. “It seems many have been shocked to know about the allegations of abuse at the Dr Giraldi Home , this is not new and we have been calling out that the allegations of abuse has to be investigated, and the disability movement cant see anyway out but by doing a investigation. Government can’t be seen doing nothing about it and dilating this issue now. Government has a duty to protect the most needed and if by after seeing it aired on Antena3 TV Espejo-Publico government dose nothing to hold a full independent public inquiry into the allegations of abuse and abusive treatment towards the residents at the Dr Giraldi Home what next, sky news, CNN, or the BBC. The government must know that the best way is to be seen as a responsible government and to carry out the inquiry, if they don’t this it will only be seen as a government that has something to hide and not just to the eyes of the people of Gibraltar but internationally.”

The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement adds government has told everyone that the allegations of abuse are unfounded and that Royal Gibraltar Police have found no need to conduct an investigation. This the disability movement adds, that evidence or facts have been presented to the court with signed statements made in the industrial tribunal of Joanna Hernandez. Why have the signed statements not been taken into consideration? It can’t be put down to cost to investigate this issue when it concerns the well being of vulnerable citizens.

Government has made a press release where it adds (quote) the proper independent body to conduct enquiries in allegations of misbehaviour that would amount to a criminal offence, such as is being alleged, is the RGP (unquote). Any citizen who believes that any such offence has or may have been committed by employees of the Agency is duty bound to report the matter to the Police, and should do so.

The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement remakes, this is the right thing to-do but we must not forget the SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY ACT, 2002, Duties of the Agency, (f) to ensure that all complaints made against the Agency or any employee or contractor of the Agency are properly investigated without delay;

Why has this not been done when complaints have been made against the Agency, when a senior member of staff who was employed to run Dr Giraldi Home was terminated by Social Services Agency in 2005 after the employee brought to the attention of the Social Services Agency concerns in the treatment of persons with disability whilst in the care of the Social Services Agency. And also what Mr. Duncan S. Jones, has notated, that he was prevented from ensuring that full and proper investigations were conducted into serious allegations made against several members of staff by a number of residents. And that the instruction that the necessary disciplinary procedures were not to be followed was conveyed to him by the then Chief Executive Officer of the Social Services Agency. And that the so called instruction came from the ‘highest level’ outside of the Social Services Agency. This could indicate too many that supposedly orders came from number 6 and it, i.e. number 6 had a hand in this whole ordeal.

The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement ends by saying, Given the extent of comments being made which are having a serious demoralising and frustrating effect on staff, service-users and parents as well as concern in the community we all must play a part in stopping this emotional or mental pain or suffering by asking our government to call for a full independent public inquiry into the allegations of abuse and abusive treatment towards the residents at the Dr Giraldi Home. We all would like to have comfort without pain or anxiety but until an investigation into allegations is carried out, we will all be subjected to uncertainties in knowledge that not all is well


The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement
"Our Success Is A function Of Determination And Ability"