Allegations Of Dr Giraldi Home

Due to the amount of comment in the media regarding the allegations of the treatment of persons with disability whilst in the care of the Social Services Agency we thought that this website should and ought to have a webpage exclusively related to this matter.

We will be adding together all the news and information from all the media keeping you up-to-date plus we will be adding our views on it. We will also be allowing you to add you views about the allegations.

All these statements, which have been mentioned in press reports, Supreme Court and more, will be made in public here.

VOX APOLOGY TO MICHAEL FEETHAM

In articles that appeared in Vox on the 25 June 2009 and 2 July 2009 a number of offensive and false statements were published by Vox to the effect that it had been alleged that Michael Feetham had abused vulnerable people under his care. Further statements were subsequently repeated and republished. We accept that these were grossly defamatory of Mr. Feetham.

We recognise our serious error in publishing these libels in the Vox newspaper and Vox Website and the considerable distress and embarrassment caused to Mr Feetham and his family. Mr. Michael Feetham is a well respected Carer working at the Dr Giraldi Home and we want to make that absolutely clear. We not only withdraw the imputations unreservedly but we apologise publicly to him. We are grateful that the matter is settled and have agreed to pay Mr Feetham substantial damages and costs.

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The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement website has removed contents published by Vox from its website pending legal advice on this issue.

Allegations of Abuse at the Dr Giraldi Home how it started

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.

The senior employee employment contract of the senior employee was subsequently terminated and has been the subject of a complaint of unfair dismissal since this happened two years ago.

The senior employee who is being represented at the hearings by Opposition Leader Joe Bossano says,

"The statements made by witnesses in support of the claimant contained references to the allegations about the state of affairs in the Agency, which the claimant sort to improve and complained about to senior management and the Agency Board."

"The move by the Agency to oppose the calling of these witnesses begs the question as to why it is that the Agency seems to be so keen in the first instance to stop the case being heard, and in the second instance to stop the participation of persons who could help in getting at the truth."

"What is obvious is that sooner or later the hearing will have to take place, the witnesses who have made statements will have to be heard, and the matter will have to be investigated."

Since 2005 some of us have been calling out that the allegations warrant a must for a full independent public inquiry into the allegations of abuse and abusive treatment towards the residents at the Dr Giraldi Home. And it is an urgent need that investigation into allegations is carried out for ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society. And that Protecting and ensuring the well being for all who lives at Dr Giraldi Home is the main objective.

We will like to add that the Gibraltar Local Disability Movement is not the only NGO that has come out the Equality Rights Group GGR and also Peter Tatchell, have also been calling for a full independent public inquiry.

We all would like to have comfort with out pain or anxiety but until a investigation into allegations is carried out, we will all be subjected to uncertainties in knowledge that not all is well.

The Allegations Extracted From Witness Statements On The Allegations Of Abuse At The Dr Giraldi Home Can Now Be Seen
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