Archive for February, 2011

THE Ramakrishna Asrama Orphanage in Penang is well equipped with closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to monitor the daily routine of its staff and children.

Its chairman Dr A. Supramaniam said the 12 CCTVs were installed at strategic spots at the home on Scotland Road to keep tabs on their daily activities.

He said the home’s secretary and his assistant would also be watching the CCTV recordings on a regular basis.

“At times, they would conduct spot checks at night. They will hand us a monthly report on the progress and development of matters that take place at the home.

“More importantly, issues pertaining to the girls will be handled by the matrons,” he said in response to news reports on Thursday that police were investigating alleged sexual abuse of boys and girls, some as young as eight years, at a children’s home in Penang.

A businesswoman, who is also a social worker from a non-governmental organisation, lodged a report at the Patani Road police station on Wednesday.

She claimed that the children were raped, sodomised and molested by the staff, the home’s committee members as well as its volunteers.

Dr Supramaniam said there were 20 full-time staff members working in shifts at the home, adding that there was a plan to relocate the girls to another place which also comes under their supervision.

He said non-governmental organisations and Welfare Depart-ment would conduct regular counselling for the children.

The orphanage has 50 children aged between five and 17.

Children’s Protection Society (CPS) Penang president Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff said all the children were monitored on a regular basis.

He said the society had three doctors who would help keep track on the children’s behaviour.

“The children will be interviewed on a one-to-one basis once the doctors detect any strange behaviour,” he said, adding that such heart-to-heart sessions were meant to get to the bottom of any problem.

Nazir added that the boys and girls were segregated during sleeping time.

“They are only allowed to mix and have fun during meal times,” he said, adding that supervision was tight at the home as there were eight full-time staff members working in shifts.

CPS Penang is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation catering to the needs of neglected or abandoned children.

There are about 30 children, aged between five and 18, staying at the society’s home on Scotland Road.

source: http://www.thestaronline.com/metro/story.asp?sec=north&file=/2011/1/14/North/7794662