Reproduced from CNMG:
High Court Judge Vashiest Kokaram ordered the release of Ms. Cheryl Miller from the St. Ann's Hospital and into the custody of her sister, Doreen Miller, and another relative, Mr. Hamilton Groden, on Friday.
Ms. Miller, a female employee of the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, was admitted to the mental institution on March 21st after she had an outburst with a senior official at the Ministry. At the time, she was complaining about being victimised and was in the process of writing an apology for her actions when mental health officers arrived and took her away to St Ann's.
The court order to have Ms. Miller taken before the High Court was secured by Attorney Fitzgerald Hinds and PSA President, Mr. Watson Duke, late on Thursday night. The representing attorneys secured an injunction from Justice Kokaram following the PSA's filing of a writ of habeas corpus.
On Friday morning, Mr. Hinds and Mr. Duke, accompanied by two police officers, presented the court order to senior officials at the mental institution.
Speaking to reporters outside the St. Ann's Hospital, Mr. Hinds said the court order commanded officials at the psychiatric hospital to present Ms. Miller before the courts.
He then explained how the matter will be handled: "Mr. Kokaram will then be able to determine, having heard from the Hospital, the reason for their apprehension and detention of Cheryl Miller."
Mr. Hinds said the pleas of Ministry employees and public outrage at the situation brought the matter to light. He added that securing the court order was an indication that there remains a functioning legal system where persons can seek redress on matters. He also highlighted that Ms. Miller's family had hoped for her release.
"We were able to get a judge of the High Court out of the comforts of his home perhaps to be with us at 9:15, 9:30 last evening to grant this order and the order has now been served in the interest of Cheryl Miller, in the interest of her representative union, in the interest of the people she worked along with, in the interest of her family, and in the interest of a peaceable, forward-thinking citizenry of Trinidad and Tobago."
Meanwhile, PSA President, Mr. Watson Duke, maintained that the rights of all citizens must be upheld and in this particular matter, the rights of public servants.
"It's a wrong that no amount of gerrymandering of facts could cover up. The fact is, she has been employed for 19 years and never at once was she administered to a mental institution, nor did she take drugs. Why are they shooting drugs in her vein? Why have they admitted her? Why are they trying to bring the life of a young woman to an end? These are questions that trouble the PSA."
Mr. Duke demanded that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, be called before the Public Service Commission to account for her role which led to the confinement of Ms. Miller at St. Ann's Hospital.
Ms. Miller, a female employee of the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, was admitted to the mental institution on March 21st after she had an outburst with a senior official at the Ministry. At the time, she was complaining about being victimised and was in the process of writing an apology for her actions when mental health officers arrived and took her away to St Ann's.
The court order to have Ms. Miller taken before the High Court was secured by Attorney Fitzgerald Hinds and PSA President, Mr. Watson Duke, late on Thursday night. The representing attorneys secured an injunction from Justice Kokaram following the PSA's filing of a writ of habeas corpus.
On Friday morning, Mr. Hinds and Mr. Duke, accompanied by two police officers, presented the court order to senior officials at the mental institution.
Speaking to reporters outside the St. Ann's Hospital, Mr. Hinds said the court order commanded officials at the psychiatric hospital to present Ms. Miller before the courts.
He then explained how the matter will be handled: "Mr. Kokaram will then be able to determine, having heard from the Hospital, the reason for their apprehension and detention of Cheryl Miller."
Mr. Hinds said the pleas of Ministry employees and public outrage at the situation brought the matter to light. He added that securing the court order was an indication that there remains a functioning legal system where persons can seek redress on matters. He also highlighted that Ms. Miller's family had hoped for her release.
"We were able to get a judge of the High Court out of the comforts of his home perhaps to be with us at 9:15, 9:30 last evening to grant this order and the order has now been served in the interest of Cheryl Miller, in the interest of her representative union, in the interest of the people she worked along with, in the interest of her family, and in the interest of a peaceable, forward-thinking citizenry of Trinidad and Tobago."
Meanwhile, PSA President, Mr. Watson Duke, maintained that the rights of all citizens must be upheld and in this particular matter, the rights of public servants.
"It's a wrong that no amount of gerrymandering of facts could cover up. The fact is, she has been employed for 19 years and never at once was she administered to a mental institution, nor did she take drugs. Why are they shooting drugs in her vein? Why have they admitted her? Why are they trying to bring the life of a young woman to an end? These are questions that trouble the PSA."
Mr. Duke demanded that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, be called before the Public Service Commission to account for her role which led to the confinement of Ms. Miller at St. Ann's Hospital.
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