21
September 2018,
Grenfell Inquiry criticised for not funding translation of witness
statements for survivors and witnesses
The inquiry into the deaths of 72 people in the Grenfell Tower fire is
not automatically translating witness statements or expert reports into other
languages, according to a leading charity.
According to the charity INQUEST, which
handles state-related deaths, lawyers for the families bereaved by the fire on
14 June 2017 are having to apply for funding for evidence to be translated for
their clients, as the inquiry itself will not fund translation services as a
rule.
Remy Mohamed, Grenfell Project Coordinator at
INQUEST, said: “It is disheartening to see that some bereaved survivors and
residents feel disconnected from the inquiry process. Issues about the venue,
disclosure and questioning of witnesses remain ever present.
“Through not routinely translating key
statements and evidence, the inquiry team are further isolating those for whom
English may not be a first language.” […]
No comments:
Post a Comment