<div id="attachment_118667" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width:310px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CEO-on-Rape.jpg"><imgclass="size-medium wp-image-118667" title="Peter Allen" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CEO-on-Rape-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Peter Allen</p></div>
<p><strong>The outrageous allegation of the sexual assault of an elderly woman inside a mental health facility is unthinkable as is the accusation against another, much younger, mentally challenged patient. The matter is being dealt with as a criminal investigation by Belmopan police. According to C.E.O., Dr. Peter Allen, the ministry has taken all necessary measures to safeguard the wellbeing of both the alleged victim, as well as the accused.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Dr. Peter Allen, C.E.O., Ministry of Health</strong></p>
<p><em>“I’m aware of it and I am aware that it was obviously a police complaint. The police are dealing with the issue. I’m aware that we have brought in both families of the elderly patient and of the young patient who is alleged to have committed these activities. I’m aware that we have provided the appropriate medical care and counseling. At the moment the investigation is ongoing so I’m not aware of anything else apart from the fact that I am aware that it is alleged to have happened. We’ve taken certain steps to make sure that the individuals involved are, shall we say, as well taken care of as much as they possibly can be but we await the results of the investigation. It’s an extremely difficult situation.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Isani Cayetano</strong></p>
<p>“Are there any protocols or measures in place, in terms of the administration and the security of Palm Center?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Dr. Peter Allen</strong></p>
<p><em>“Yes. There are many protocols but what we try to achieve with our mental health program, with a great degree of success, in fact, is essentially a community-based approach to mental health services. So we have tried to stay away from the notion that people are locked up in institutions and we try to create an environment which is considered both safe and propitious to mental health recovery. That largely has worked very well but I’m not sure what could have happened in this case but I don’t have the details in order to comment. But of course we would be prepared to comment when the details are available and the police investigation is complete.”</em></p>
View the full article
<p><strong>The outrageous allegation of the sexual assault of an elderly woman inside a mental health facility is unthinkable as is the accusation against another, much younger, mentally challenged patient. The matter is being dealt with as a criminal investigation by Belmopan police. According to C.E.O., Dr. Peter Allen, the ministry has taken all necessary measures to safeguard the wellbeing of both the alleged victim, as well as the accused.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Dr. Peter Allen, C.E.O., Ministry of Health</strong></p>
<p><em>“I’m aware of it and I am aware that it was obviously a police complaint. The police are dealing with the issue. I’m aware that we have brought in both families of the elderly patient and of the young patient who is alleged to have committed these activities. I’m aware that we have provided the appropriate medical care and counseling. At the moment the investigation is ongoing so I’m not aware of anything else apart from the fact that I am aware that it is alleged to have happened. We’ve taken certain steps to make sure that the individuals involved are, shall we say, as well taken care of as much as they possibly can be but we await the results of the investigation. It’s an extremely difficult situation.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Isani Cayetano</strong></p>
<p>“Are there any protocols or measures in place, in terms of the administration and the security of Palm Center?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Dr. Peter Allen</strong></p>
<p><em>“Yes. There are many protocols but what we try to achieve with our mental health program, with a great degree of success, in fact, is essentially a community-based approach to mental health services. So we have tried to stay away from the notion that people are locked up in institutions and we try to create an environment which is considered both safe and propitious to mental health recovery. That largely has worked very well but I’m not sure what could have happened in this case but I don’t have the details in order to comment. But of course we would be prepared to comment when the details are available and the police investigation is complete.”</em></p>
View the full article