PORT OF SPAIN (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)
Guardian.co.tt [Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago]
February 25, 2026
By Derek Achong
Very little progress was made yesterday in a novel lawsuit filed by five former residents of St Dominic’s Children’s Home, who allege they suffered physical and sexual abuse while living there.
During a virtual hearing, High Court Judge Carol Gobin declined to give case management directions until a former employee of the home, named as a defendant, is properly served with court documents.
“I cannot proceed until he is served,” Gobin said.
Attorney Christlyn Moore, leading the claimants’ legal team, explained that the man was previously on remand facing charges of buggery, attempted buggery, and serious indecency. Attempts to serve him at a police station, as part of his bail conditions, were unsuccessful.
“He is no longer in prison. We were not able to track him at the police station,” Moore said.
During the hearing, Senior Counsel Gregory Delzin, representing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which manages the home, noted that the court must first decide a preliminary application to strike out the case for being filed outside the four-year statutory limit for filing a lawsuit after a legal breach.
The lawsuit, filed in October last year, relates to abuse alleged to have occurred between 1986 and 2005. Defendants include the former employee, the home, the Roman Catholic Church, the AG’s Office, and the Statutory Authorities Service Commission (SASC).
In the claim against the Church, the men allege that a senior representative carried out abusive acts and that the Church is “vicariously liable for the tortious actions and/or omissions of the children’s home.”