The Family Court of Trinidad and Tobago has admitted to a staff shortage that has been causing major inconveniences to those who need it most, single mothers seeking to take care of their children.
The problem is making it difficult for people to access easily and make maintenance payments at the institution and, by extension, putting single mothers in particular, who represent the bulk of their clients, to access payments to take care of their children.
In a statement to the T&T Guardian yesterday, the Judiciary noted that it is currently “working to address the staffing issues within the Accounting Unit affecting the cash collection and/or disbursement operations at the court.”
The current staff quota, it added, “does not adequately and consistently meet our clients’ needs.”
With the recent start of the new school term this week, the problem has hit home hard with single mothers and fathers who have been struggling to access maintenance support. Slow and untimely disbursement of the funds last month caused hiccups for some parents as they prepared their children for school this term.
Two mothers told the T&T Guardian the month of August was a very busy time at the court, with parents flocking to collect payments to facilitate back-to-school shopping.
Bernadette Garcia-Collins, a 51-year-old mother, has been collecting maintenance at the courts for over nine years. However, she said since April this year it has become an extremely challenging process to access the facility at the court.
“You have to go in as early as 5 am, pull a number and the guard does only give out like 50. Sometimes you not even sure to get through that day and you have to go back. I sometimes go two to three days in a row... you running to the court and not getting through.”
Garcia-Collins recalls seeing people “cry down the place” after not getting service or funds. She has even gave a woman she felt sorry for money once.
“Some does be crying, they don’t even have money to go back home after travelling to the court expecting to get their money.”
A sign at the court, she said, clearly stated the Accounts Department opens from 8 am-3 pm, “but they does close just after lunch plenty times. By 1 pm the Accounts Department close off. I find if they doing that they need to announce it over the radio or something, instead of having people come down there wasting time and money.”
The Barataria woman said she finally collected money last Thursday after going in on Tuesday and Wednesday with no success.
“A lot of people still haven’t gotten through with money for books and uniform. It have people taking time off work and the line does be bending the corner just to pay or collect maintenance.”
Garcia-Collins is used to going once a month to collect her payments but has recently been going three or four times a month. She complained about the accounts staff at the institution as well.
“Them workers does be taking their time... always on their cellphone, What’sApp and thing. Sometimes you reach 10 am and you leave after 3 pm, after the court close.”
A 37-year-old single mother of two, who agreed to speak with the T&T Guardian under condition of anonymity, said she went to collect her money three times in the last two weeks but was unsuccessful. She said with school opening this week, she instead had to borrow money to buy books and shoes.
“For others I’m sure it’s worse,” she said.
“I went on Wednesday 24th August but was turned away by the security guard who asked if I was here to go to accounts. I said yes, and he told me no one turned out that day. A lady in line said it was the same situation the day before.
“On Thursday September 1st I was told the Accounts Department closed early. The very next day when I returned the guard told me accounts was closed for the day.”
The St Augustine-based mother complained: “Some travel from all over to come to the court to collect money last week and had no success. We’re losing money from work, to travel and still we’re not able to meet the needs of our children for back-to-school because of this?”
With a seven-year-old daughter, the woman said it had been a “major inconvenience” having lost so much time and money already.
Short-term measures
In its statement yesterday, the Judiciary said it had installed both short and medium-term measures aimed at addressing deficiencies in the system.
The short-term measures include seeking the approval of the Government to increase the staff complement assigned to the unit and training additional officers who already work within the Judiciary to perform the duties and provide support to the existing staff until additional permanent officers can be engaged.