The Jamaican’s for Justice (JFJ) are calling on the government to implement strong background checks for all persons interacting with children of the state and legislative reform amid recent reports of a “gross breach” by the head of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) Rosalee Gage-Grey.

Reports are that Gage-Grey had allowed Carl Robanske, a man who was flagged for inappropriate relations with minors in the United States, to interact with the agency tasked with caring for and protecting the nation’s children.

It was also reported that Robanske had inappropriate interactions with state children in Jamaica, with one recalling an incident where they were asked to touch his genitals.

“To prevent the reoccurrence of this nature, JFJ is calling on the government to implement strong background check procedures for all persons (foreign and local) interacting with children in state care,” they said in a release yesterday (January 11).

The advocacy group also renewed its call for legislative and policy reform of the Childcare and Protection Act, as well as the Sexual Offenses Act. They then suggested that in addition to back ground checks, foreign offenders should be added to the local sexual offenders registry.

Since the revelation of Robanske’s nature as a sexual predator, there have been requests made for the Gage-Grey to step aside until further investigation into the matter.

During a parliament meeting on Tuesday (Janauary 10), education minister Fayval Williams had tabled a report from the Office of Children’s Advocate (OCA) that revealed details of the relationship between Gage-Grey and Robanske.

The minister then requested for Gage-Grey to step aside pending further investigation, accusing her of misleading the government into thinking that she had parted ways with Robanske and his organization Embracing Orphans, when reports surfaced in March 2021 about his inappropriate behaviour.

According to the report, Gage-Grey said she had engaged the services of another entity, the Jamaica Relief Ministry. But , she failed to report that the relief ministry had an ongoing relationship with Embracing Orphans.

“The situation is untenable, it cannot be defended,” declared Williams, while stating that she was “enraged”.

“In plain and simple English, I was misled by the CEO of the CPFSA, by a failure to report facts to me despite the many times the CEO reported in our weekly meetings,” the minister told the House.

In their release, the JFJ also called for the CPFSA CEO to step aside pending furhter investigation, noting that “Gage-Grey cannot remain in the position as is.”

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