COPSE, Hanover – More than two weeks after duty officer Dennis James was caught spanking a 10 year-old boy at the Copse Place of Safety in Hanover, his supervisors still have not decided if his punishment will be more severe than suspension.

James, who has been working at the boys’ home for the last three years, will remain on suspension for at least another week, according to Copse manager Derval Rowe.

“I am still awaiting instructions from my programme director (Winston Bowen). They had a meeting and they also asked the monitoring officer (Urah Campbell) for a report,” Rowe told the Observer. “She interviewed him, and the child. Based on that, I am waiting for a response as to what further course of action to take.”

James’ picture was splashed across the front page of the June 19 Sunday Observer as, unaware that the photograph was being taken, he beat a boy in his care. He was suspended the same day.

Rowe explained that James, who has reportedly spanked boys in the past, had opted to spank the boy after he and two other boys disobeyed the duty officer’s orders on June 16.

“He (James) said approximately three of them were throwing stones at each other and he spoke to them but they disobeyed his instructions so he thought he would solve the problem by spanking them,” he said.

He added that despite James’ use of corporal punishment, which is illegal in these facilities, the boys in his care generally spoke well of the duty officer, “saying that he had been quite understanding and supportive and has gone the extra mile sometimes to support them”.

The Copse beating had been only one element of a story that painted a picture of the conditions at the facility. Other shortcomings highlighted included gaping holes in the ceilings of generally broken-down buildings.

According to Rowe, repairs have started.

“We are repainting the building. We have (also) made contact with the 4H club which has promised to start a chicken project here and also a vegetable garden,” he said.

In addition to improving the physical structure and grounds of the institution, he said, they were also in the process of expanding the academic offerings available to their wards.

“I have also been making plans to introduce to the programme computers and also art and craft,” Rowe said, adding that these measures should be in place before the end of July when there will be a thanksgiving ceremony to honour those who have contributed to Copse over the years.

“We also wish to ask the public to support us by giving us a contribution to improve on the physical facilities of the institution,” he said.

In August, Copse will host parents’ day, which will give parents the opportunity to hammer out a plan to improve the lives of the boys at the facility.

The Sunday Observer’s exposure of the poor conditions at the facility and the other challenges faced by the wards and administrators was being used to fuel improvement and influence change there, Rowe explained.

“We had a meeting with the staff, and the boys as well, to sensitise them on the impact of this on the institution and how they are to deal with the information in the sense that they could learn something positive from it,” he said. “They are not to be embarrassed by it (but) improve on their hygiene and to go to the classes that we have organised for them and to improve on their general behaviour.”