Source: www.derryjournal.com --- Tuesday, February 28, 2017
A Derry woman who was just seven years old when she was sent to Australia as part of the controversial “child migrant scheme” says she’s worried she may not live long enough to see justice done. Peggy Gibson, who is now aged 77, was separated from her family and transported to Australia in 1948 where, she says, she suffered horrific abuse. Originally from Quarry Street in the Brandywell but now living in Melbourne, Peggy says it’s important that her abuse is acknowledged during her lifetime. Her lawyers have written to the Northern Ireland Executive asking it to ensure that a redress scheme recommended recently by the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA) is implemented with “special priority” given to elderly claimants. The Inquiry, chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart, has recommended that children who were transported to Australia in the 1940s and 50s be given compensation for the trauma they suffered. The Inquiry says those sent to Australia under the Child Migrants Scheme should receive a special payment in addition to any other payment which they might be awarded by a HIA Redress Board. This special payment, insisted the Inquiry, should be of a sum sufficient to recognise “the injustice they suffered as young children by being sent to a far away land and losing their sense of identity as a result”. Sir Anthony’s team has recommended that the maximum amount of compensation payable should not exceed £80,000, except ...
from Australia http://ift.tt/2mAAqlJ
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