Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Nov 03/99) - A former employee has sparked an investigation of a Rankin Inlet group home after making accusations of physical abuse.

The former programs manager of the adult group home, Bob Vibert, lodged a formal complaint with the Keewatin Regional Health Board concerning client care and safety. Vibert, who spent about three months at the group home, outlined 15 separate incidents.

The chief executive officer of the Keewatin Regional Health Board (KRHB) is investigating.

Dr. Keith Best says he will meet with the group home's general manager, staff and residents to address Vibert's concerns.

Care-giving services at both Rankin Inlet's adult and children's group homes are provided by Kivalliq Consulting and Management Training Services Ltd.

"I will pursue these allegations with a line of inquiry to get to the bottom of this and put these concerns to rest one way or another," says Dr. Best.

"However, at this time, I must point out I have full confidence the facility's staff are providing quality service."

"My personal impression is that he (Vibert) was unhappy here from day one, didn't like the way the program was implemented and blew things out of proportion on some issues.

"I can't agree there is any serious abuse or neglect. There were serious allegations raised, but there has to be evidence in order for them to be substantiated."

Vibert says he realized he was putting his personal and professional reputation on the line by coming forward with his concerns.

"I think what finally prompted me to go public with my concerns was the way I was received by the general manager when I tried to point these things out to her because I wasn't taken very seriously," states Vibert.

"I was living there, trying to comprehend what was going on and it was very difficult."

Vibert says there is nothing malicious about his report, adding he started voicing his concerns while still in the group home's employ.

"It's not like I left there in a huff and said this is what I'll do as a form of retaliation. I started seeing things that just didn't add up, so I started writing them down."

Vibert says if he was allowed to do his job correctly, he would have replaced staff workers early in his tenure.

He claims he was not allowed to do so because of family ties between workers and the home's founder.

Group home general manager Sheila Milloy says Vibert resigned after a three-month probationary period.

"It's not uncommon for people to be unhappy when things don't work out in a place of employment," says Milloy.

"Sometimes they feel they have to criticize and I'm sorry he (Vibert) felt he had to respond in that way."

Milloy says the well-being of group home clients are well documented.