THE UNDERBELLY OF SUCCESS: ST. KITTS' KID CRISIS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRIDGETOWN 001482

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

WHA/CAR FOR ALAIN NORMAN
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DRL FOR GREG MAGGIO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI EAID SC XL KWMN
SUBJECT: THE UNDERBELLY OF SUCCESS: ST. KITTS' KID CRISIS


1. (U) Summary: Recent newspaper stories in St. Kitts and
Nevis have highlighted the plight of child abuse in that
country. The operator of a government-subsidized Children's
Home has complained of threats against the home's female
occupants and a recent incident in which a Cuban diplomat is
alleged to have struck a Kittitian child have put a spotlight
on a usually taboo subject in this otherwise flourishing
twin-island federation. End Summary.

ABUSE IN THE NEWS...
--------------


2. (U) A spate of recent newspaper headlines in St. Kitts and
Nevis covering a rash of child-abuse incidents has raised the
profile of a subject not frequently talked about in the
country. In the most sensational of these cases, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened in a case in which an
unnamed official from the Cuban Embassy to St. Kitts and
Nevis is accused of slapping an 8-year old Kittitian boy on
October 26 when the boy was playing with the diplomat's
daughter. According to the Sun St.Kitts/Nevis newspaper, the
diplomat was detained and taken to the Basseterre Police
Station, but was not/not arrested since he has diplomatic
immunity. The incident made headlines for several days, and
the child's father, St. Clair Williams, has stated he plans
to sue the Cuban official. Neither the Cuban nor the St.
Kitts/Nevis government has explained what action will be
taken against the Cuban official in question.


3. (SBU) Concurrently, other stories involving child abuse
have hit the headlines of St. Kitts/Nevis newspapers. In
early November the Sun reported that local teenagers had cut
holes in the Children's Home's fence and attempted to accost
and molest the young children who live there. In addition,
PolOff met with Robert Hull, director of the St. Christopher
Children's Home, accompanied by St. Kitts/Nevis Associate
Peace Corps Director Mavis Huggins. According to Hull, the
home was opened some time in the early 1900's by a private
organization, but was eventually taken over by the
(then-colonial) government. Hull confirmed the newspaper
reports and claimed that even since publication, there has
still been no police presence in the area. Hull noted that
the Home is mostly funded by the GOSKN, which provides
$30,000 USD of the Home's yearly budget of $43,000. The
remaining $13,000 USD is provied by private donors.


4. (U) The Home currently houses 12 children, varying in age
from three to eventeen, including five girls. Hull claims
theHome an accommodate 30 children, though the buildng is
clearly old and lacks air conditioning. Al of the children
are placed in the Home by courtorder, at the recommendation
of the Social Welfae Department. Hull stated that most of
the children have been physically or sexually abused, but
admitted that they have little to no means to provide any
counseling for the children. Mr. Hull noted occasional USG
assistance to the Home, in the form of a Peace Corps
Volunteer (PCV) and a U.S. Navy vessel that once visited port
and came by to paint the entire Home. Ms. Huggins expressed
her interest in having a PCV return to work at the Home.

...AND IN THE COURTS
--------------


5. (SBU) Besides these two incidents, other child abuse
stories have dominated the news. On November 23rd the
Leewards Times mistakenly reported on its front page that a
police officer was awaiting a verdict in his trial on incest
with his 12-year old daughter. After local law enforcement
leaders appeared on television condemning the mistake, the
paper issued a retraction, clarifying that the accused is a
former Nevis police officer.


6. (SBU) In a separate incident, a 12-year old boy was
convicted of "house breaking and larceny" for stealing a .38
semi-automatic pistol and was sentenced to 10 lashes, in
addition to a curfew and mandatory counseling sessions. In
contrast to the outrage sparked by the slapping incident
involving a Cuban official, this case has caused no uproar,
and indicates that Kittitians are still generally tolerant of
corporal punishment. According to a reporter at the Sun St.
Kitts/Nevis, such "strokes" delivered as punishment are less
common than a few years ago, but are still used by the GOSKN

BRIDGETOWN 00001482 002 OF 002


as form of punishment for juveniles.

LACK OF SOCIAL SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE
--------------


7. (SBU) While the St. Kitts/Nevis courts have heard seven
child abuse cases this year, public sector resources for
child abuse victims are not abundant. In addition to the St.
Christopher's Children's home, another NGO named "Save Our
Sons" or "SOS" has attempted to help abused and at-risk boys
develop in a safe environment. The NGO originally received
government subsidies, but is now run entirely with private
funds, mostly provided by the founder Clive Saunders, who is
also a High School guidance counselor. SOS currently houses
five boys, and a PCV currently provides tutoring once a week.


8. (U) Another NGO focused on ending domestic violence, Men
Underpinning St. Kitts (MUSK),recently held a domestic
violence symposium for the police force, social services,
nurses, and the Ministry of Gender Affairs, and is starting a
working group for these members to brainstorm on ways to
fight widespread domestic violence in St. Kitts/Nevis. The
government's Ministry of Gender Affairs (in conjunction with
the Peace Corps) is active in raising awareness for domestic
violence, but has few resources to provide counseling, and
there is only one child psychiatrist in the country, who is
reportedly overworked.

COMMENT
--------------


9. (SBU) The child abuse situation in St. Kitts and Nevis is
not unique among the seven nations of the Eastern Caribbean.
As St. Kitts and Nevis continues to enjoy success in economic
development, it remains to be seen whether it will similarly
develop the socio-political will to tackle the endemic, if
most often invisible, problem of child abuse. Unfortunately,
if the experience of other Caribbean nations is any
indicator, it is unlikely that economic growth will lead to
new sensitivities in the near term. End Comment.
HOWARD