Former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children are slamming the provincial government’s independent panel to address abuse allegations at the home.

“He’s not listening to the black community,” says Tony Smith. “He’s not listening to the former residents.”

Smith is one of the former residents who claim they were physically and sexually assaulted at the orphanage in North Preston, resulting in a proposed-class action lawsuit against the province.

Aside from legal proceedings, the NDP government has agreed to form an independent panel to address the abuse allegations and help former residents heal.

“It is heartbreaking really to hear what they have to say,” says Dexter. “We are, in fact, acting on exactly what they requested us to do.”

But Smith says that’s not the case because they never agreed to an independent panel.

“I don’t understand what’s coming out of his mouth.”

Some of the former residents are expressing their opposition to the panel, saying they feel deceived and exploited by the NDP government.

“We have been subjected to extreme litigation and we former residents feel we are being re-victimized by our current government,” says former resident Tracey Dorrington-Skinner.

Smith says former residents will only take part in a public inquiry, but Dexter says an independent panel would serve the same purpose as a public inquiry.

Opposition leaders also weighed in on the issue, saying the NDP isn’t listening to the alleged victims.

“If they are the same thing, then call a public inquiry, because we have rules around public inquiries that are well known,” says Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie.

“This is serving the premier’s political agenda. It is not serving the victims,” says Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil.

Former residents have also expressed concerns over who will be on the panel, saying they aren’t being represented.

But Dexter says no one has been approached about the panel and won’t until the terms of reference are complete. Those terms will be laid out within two months, by social worker and educator Robert Wright.

Wright says he agreed to do it because it’s his way of making a contribution to an important issue.

“To look at what a restorative process may look like, what its scope may be, and how it might be established,” says Wright.

Wright admits the scope of the panel could be affected if former residents don’t take part.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster