Agency Breaks Silence on Giraldi Home to Whimper a Protest After more than a month of silence, and as allegations of mismanagement at the Dr Giraldi Home and abuse of those in its care echoed around the bureaucratic ears of the Social Services Agency, it this week made the remarkable assertion that it has "always acted swiftly and responsibly whenever allegations of neglect and abuse have been made." And it claimed that all cases have been properly investigated. At the same time the Agency - and the Government - appear to reject calls from opposition parties, concerned public bodies and this newspaper for a full-scale public inquiry into the allegations. It argues that the proper independent body to conduct inquiries into misbehaviour "that would amount to a criminal offence" is the Royal Gibraltar Police - and this in spite of claims that an investigation of an alleged case of sexual abuse were dropped by the force - and to the surprise of the investigating officer.
Claiming not to have commented previously on the allegations "in order not to interfere with the due process" of the Industrial Tribunal hearing the case for wrongful dismissal brought by former Giraldi manager Joanna Hernandez, the Government and Agency suggest that "self serving and misleading comments" are politically motivated.
This has drawn a swift and sharp retort from Opposition leader Joe Bossano who is appearing on behalf of Hernandez before Isaac Massias at the Tribunal where many of the allegations were made.
An Opposition statement suggest that "It's a bit rich for the Government now to say that they do not want to interfere with the due process when they have attempted to prevent the complaint from being heard, by arguing that the Tribunal could not hear the case because Ms Johanna Hernandez had worked one year and two days, but this was not 52 weeks continuous employment".
"As regards the case itself, the evidence presented by the Claimant includes many witnesses that have produced statements, copies of which were provided to the Agency a year ago and which will be made public in full when the hearing finally starts some time in 2008.
"Indeed, the last occasion that the Tribunal met the Claimant had to contend with the opposition of the Government to witnesses who are in Government employment coming forward to give evidence. Because the Government opposes their participation in the hearing the numbers available were considerably reduced."
http://www.vox.gi/Local/Agency_Breaks_Silence_Giraldi_Home_Whimper_Protest-14122007.html 
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