Caption: Minister of the People Social Development and Family Services Vandana Mohit
Summary
- Massive Debt: The Authority is facing a growing $77 million financial liability dating back to 2020, which includes over $23 million owed to security firms and $1.5 million in unpaid staff health insurance.
- Questionable Spending & Unpaid Taxes: Mohit accused the board of ‘frivolous’ spending—including a $343,000 ice-maker—and failing to remit over $10 million in employee statutory deductions to the BIR and NIBTT.
- Board’s Defense: CATT Chairman Marsha Bailey expressed astonishment at the public demand, stating the board has acted responsibly and noting the minister did not request a private meeting to discuss her concerns.
- Pending Response: The Children’s Authority is expected to issue a full, formal statement today to address the Minister’s allegations.
By Prior Beharry
MINISTER of the People, Social Development, and Family Services Vandana Mohit has issued a sweeping call for the immediate resignation of the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT) board of management, citing severe governance failures and a ballooning financial liability of $77 million.
Speaking at a press conference at the United National Congress (UNC) headquarters on Sunday, Mohit painted a grim picture of the Authority’s financial health, warning that the institution responsible for safeguarding the nation’s most vulnerable children is “mired in a serious financial debacle.”
According to the Minister, the $77 million debt has been accumulating since 2020 and continues to grow. She attributed the crisis to “prolonged mismanagement and a glaring failure of oversight” by the current board.
Mounting Debts and ‘Frivolous’ Spending
Mohit outlined a series of crippling operational debts, warning that the Authority’s ability to maintain basic continuity is now at risk. Outstanding payments include:
- Over $19 million owed to one security firm, and an additional $4 million to another, dating back to 2020.
- More than $1.5 million in unpaid staff health insurance contributions.
The Minister also slammed the Authority for “frivolous expenditure and inflated hiring practices,” specifically highlighting the purchase of a $343,000 ice-maker amid the financial crunch.
Further compounding the crisis are allegations that CATT failed to remit statutory deductions taken from employees’ salaries. As of September 2025, the Authority reportedly owes over $6 million to the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) and more than $4 million to the National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIBTT).
“The failure to remit statutory payments is not a minor administrative oversight,” Mohit cautioned. “It raises serious legal and ethical implications and exposes the institution, and by extension the State, to potential litigation and reputational damage.”
Mohit also questioned the board’s recent disciplinary actions against the former CEO, who was suspended and subsequently fired. She suggested the termination was a “reactive” move designed to create the illusion of corrective leadership, as it only occurred after her ministry initiated an internal audit.
Board Chairman ‘Astonished’
The CATT board, appointed by President Christine Kangaloo, pushed back against the Minister’s public dressing-down.
CATT Chairman Marsha Bailey told the Express that the board was “astonished and really taken aback” by Mohit’s demands.
“The board has made every effort to work with the minister to ensure that the nation’s children are properly and appropriately cared for,” Bailey said. “The board stands by what it continues to do, which is what is right.”
Bailey expressed disappointment that the Minister did not request a meeting to discuss the matters privately before making public demands for their resignation.
The Children’s Authority announced it will release a full, formal statement addressing the allegations today.
Current CATT Board of Management
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Marsha Bailey |
| Deputy Chairman | Jennifer Boucaud-Blake |
| Board Member | Dr. Natalie Dick |
| Board Member | Keon Cunningham |
| Board Member | Denyse F. Gouveia |
| Board Member | Sule Atiba Anthony Joseph |
| Board Member | Laura Davis |
| Board Member | Kitty Al Hosein-Garcia |
| Board Member | Rebecca Jessica Dipnarine |
| Board Member | Marion Kent |
| Board Member | Jemila Massiah-Gilbert |
| Board Member | Dr. Kirbi Rampersad |
| Board Member | Natasha Skinner-Rocke |
| Board Member | Nadella Oya |
