PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday lashed out at certain overseas-based Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) that at times distort issues and speak about child labour and abuse in Guyana. The president was speaking at the official launch of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) at the corner of Broad and Charles Streets, Charlestown.

President Jagdeo said the work of Guyanese is seldom heard of while referring to a report from CCPA Director, Ms. Ann Green that the agency had managed to respond to over 5000 children who were mistreated and had found more than 800 places for children to protect them from harm and abuse.
“People would run and celebrate an [overseas] NGO…and they are good NGOs… wonderful NGOs that come in from abroad. I want to thank them again for their help. We’ll work with them.
But they will take two [children] and make big publicity and these [local] agencies that routinely deal with hundreds and hundreds of calls, they never get a single word of praise.
We must also recognize our own efforts and pay tribute to our people too,” the president stated.
He continued, “We have an American NGO that came here and said they took 984 of our kids out of extreme forms of child labour and placed them elsewhere.”
“Yet, no one is aware of the locations these children were taken from and where they were placed.
“We love our children here and do so better than any person who comes in from abroad.
This is our job and I am very, very intolerant with people who come here and distort the situation.
“You hear that 85% of our kids are abused. If that is so, 85% of us are abusers. And it’s nonsensical. I know about single parents who struggle every single day because they want their kids educated. I know of those families. We must also respect what our people have done for their kids in this country,” the president urged.
He also made a call for people to adopt kids from homes and orphanages.
The last count showed that there were just over 600 children in these institutions across the country. “I’m sure we can find 600 Guyanese families to take those kids into their homes and give them a different chance at life.”
Jagdeo stated in the past his desire to have orphanages closed; and according to him, this statement was misinterpreted.
He was in fact saying that every child should be afforded the love of a family and their being adopted would put the orphanages out of business.
Jagdeo said he is leaving the presidency with “a deep sense of satisfaction” knowing that his government has done quite a few things that it had promised. He disclosed that a new manifesto is currently being worked on.
The president observed that many developed countries are cutting down on social services in order to balance their budgets; but, because of a collective effort in Guyana, more is being spent here in this area.