00:00I call upon the present board again of the Children's Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
00:06to tender their resignations with immediate effect.
00:11It comes as the Children's Authority now has a financial millstone hanging around its neck.
00:16That's according to information relayed by Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services,
00:21Vandana Mohit, who calls it a deeply troubling situation that cannot be ignored.
00:26With liabilities dating as far back as 2020, reportedly reaching in the vicinity of $77 million and counting.
00:37Mohit blames it on the board and says over $8 million is outstanding for the payment of gratuity for employees
00:44at the Children's Authority,
00:45while staff health insurance debt totals over $1.5 million.
00:50She claims that employees have been reaching out to her seeking to inquire about these benefits,
00:55but more than that, Mohit points to a possible breach of the law.
00:59Perhaps most alarming, and I want you to listen carefully,
01:03are reports that the Children's Authority failed to remit statutory deductions
01:10to the National Insurance Board, which is NIS, and the Board of Inland Revenue,
01:17despite these monies being deducted from our employees.
01:22And that, too, is running into millions of dollars.
01:26As at September 2025, $6 million plus for Board of Inland Revenue, BIR.
01:34National Insurance, $4 million plus and counting.
01:42The minister says she has requested an updated list in order to work with the authority to try to pay
01:48off that debt.
01:49However, she underscores that it could not have been an administrative oversight
01:53as the authority receives government allocations and releases.
01:57The minister says the authority only acted following an audit done by a team from the ministry.
02:02The recent actions taken against the former chief executive officer, CEO,
02:10including disciplinary proceedings, suspension, and the ultimate termination of his services,
02:18raise serious questions about timing and intent.
02:23She also reveals that millions of dollars are owing for security and janitorial services
02:28with $19 million to one company and $4 million to another.
02:33Meanwhile, Mohit says there has been questionable expenditure, citing one incident.
02:38But the Children's Authority, despite the fact of owing all of these monies,
02:47would have purchased one ice maker, unnecessary expenditure, $343,000.
02:55This I find, this I find ridiculous when I saw it.
03:00The minister states that the board has refused to resign.
03:04Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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