UK govt presses Oxfam to hand over scandal info

■ British charity faces heat over alleged prostitution activities of its staff in Haiti

London, Feb. 11: Britain’s International development secretary Penny Mordaunt warned on Sunday that Oxfam must hand over to authorities any information it has collected on a “shocking” staff prostitution scandal in Haiti or face repercussions.

The Cabinet minister announced she will meet with the British- based charity’s leadership on Monday as it continues to reel from accusations it covered up the episode in 2011. “If they do not hand over all the information that they have from their investigation... then I cannot work with them any more as an aid delivery partner — and any other organisation in those circumstances,” she told the BBC.

In a sign of widening fallout from the scandal, the Sunday Times reported more than 120 workers for Britain’s leading charities were accused of sexual abuse in the past year, “fuelling fears paedophiles are targeting overseas aid organisations”.

Ms Mordaunt said that she was writing to all charities that receive state aid demanding they step up efforts to tackle sexual

◗ The government’s hardening stance follows reports in the Times newspaper that young sex workers were hired by Oxfam’s senior staff in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake

misconduct among staff or face funding cut- offs.

She will also seek to confirm they have referred all concerns about specific cases and individuals to the relevant authorities.

“I think this is an emerging picture, there are more allegations coming out about Oxfam and other organisations... and all of them will be followed up,” Ms Mordaunt vowed.

The government’s hardening stance follows reports in the Times newspaper that young sex workers were hired by Oxfam’s senior staff in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake which devastated the island.

The charity — which employs around 5,000 staff and has 23,000 more volunteers — recorded 87 incidents last year, referring 53 to the police or authorities and dismissing 20 staff or volunteers, according to the Sunday Times. — AFP