THE fact that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C)  and other political parties have signed on to the Rights of the Children Declaration augurs well for the protection of children’s rights in Guyana, particularly leading up to the 2011 general and regional elections scheduled for November 28.
PPP Executive Member Robert Persaud made this pronouncement at a media briefing convened at Freedom House, yesterday, where he highlighted the advantages of agreeing to adhere to the guiding principles in the document.
He said that Tuesday the PPP signed onto the Rights of the Child Declaration.
“This is very important, we saw a very disturbing trend whereby some of the PPP/C meetings were disrupted, and children were being used.”
According to Persaud, such acts are in violation of children’s rights, and he expressed the hope that the signing ceremony held at the Umana Yana will serve to keep children out of the election fray.
“It’s good for children to attend rallies but it’s another thing when you give them placards and other things to disrupt meetings; it’s not good for the development and the protection and the care for our children. From the PPP standpoint, we made it absolutely clear to our supporters, activists and organizers that political events are about voters; children can come, but children are not to be used for political agitation and disruption,” he said.
He stressed that the Declaration addresses the protection and maintenance of children’s rights, a platform the PPP/C has always promoted.
Signing the declaration were representative of the AFC, Roy Van Tholl, PPP/C’s Samuel Hinds, APNU’s Cheryl Thompson, and AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan.
Persaud further commended the political parties contesting the upcoming general and regional elections which signed onto the Code of Conduct for Elections, last week.
He explained, “The PPP commends the parties that have signed the code; we hope that all will abide and ensure that there is improved conduct that will lead to a free, fair, and civil elections in our country.”
In the presence of government officials, members of the diplomatic core and supporters gathered at the Umana Yana, last Friday; the Presidential candidates for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) Donald Ramotar, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) David Granger, Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan, the United Force (TUF) Peter Persaud, and the East Berbice Development Association (EBDA) David Subnauth, all agreed to adhere to the guiding principles as set out in the code.