New Beginnings to Receive Furniture and Electrical Upgrades

Concerns have been raised about the state of living conditions at New Beginnings and other care facilities, with reports of poorly kept dorms and aging infrastructure. The Ministry of Human Development acknowledges some challenges but says upgrades are already underway, from new electrical wiring to orders for furniture and air conditioning. The Minister of Human Development, Thea Garcia-Ramirez, adds that while improvements can’t happen all at once, the goal is to create safer and more comfortable spaces for the children, elderly, and displaced people under their care.

 

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development

“I’m not privy to all the files. I may be the minister. But there is a strict level of confidentiality on each child’s case file, so it’s on a really need to know basis. We are doing some work in all of our facilities, not only on those facilities like New beginnings for childcare, but across all the facilities because I do want to agree with you that. Some of them are better kept than others. Some of the facilities are, I think, a bit older. Just yesterday we have completed entire revamping of the electrical system in electrical wiring of new beginnings. And there are orders being filled for furniture, for instance. And so to ensure that there’s that level of comfort. So now that I’ve said it on television and I’m on record and you have recorded me, my CEO and my FO will have no other choice but to ensure that we have some air conditioning. So I want to thank you very much. For allowing me this space to ensure that we go on record.”