Migrant rights charity HOME suspends executive director over alleged misappropriation of funds

SINGAPORE: The executive director of a migrant worker charity has been suspended following allegations of possible misappropriation of funds.

In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 17), the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) said Ms Deshi Gill’s suspension was put in place for it to conduct an internal inquiry.

“After preliminary investigations, we believe there is a basis for suspected misconduct,” HOME said.

It added that it has notified the relevant authorities.

“HOME’s board and staff will provide all necessary information as part of any investigations that will be carried out,” it said. “As the matter is now with the authorities, we are unable to comment further.”

Ms Gill, who has been working with HOME since 2017, was appointed to executive director in July 2021, according to a Facebook post by the charity.

HOME added that it is currently reviewing its governance controls to “ensure the rigour of (their) internal processes so that such lapses will not occur again”.

“HOME’s commitment to advance the migrant worker cause remains unwavering,” it said. “During this time, all our operations and services continue to function, and we will continue to strive to improve the well-being and dignity of migrant workers in Singapore.”

The charity group said on its website that it provides immediate crisis intervention as well as long-term support such as education and training programmes to help improve migrant workers' well-being and employment prospects.

It assisted in the case of Ms Parti Liyani, a former maid from Indonesia who was charged in 2017 with stealing from the family of Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong.

The group helped Ms Parti with engaging a lawyer when she claimed trial and provided her with a bailor when she was charged.

According to their website, she also stayed at HOME’s shelter for almost four years, as she was not allowed to work. Ms Parti was eventually acquitted.