HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon acknowledged, yesterday, that there is still much more to be done, in terms of the placement of orphans in families and sexual abuse of children.

Reflecting on the observance of Child Protection Week, he said the activities being unveiled during the period are a testimony that more can be done and more will be done.
“And we must recognise those efforts that have been made and the successes that have accrued,” he insisted.
Speaking at his usual post-Cabinet media briefing at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, in Georgetown, Luncheon said school welfare, particularly with regards to violence and gangs, also ought to be looked at.
“The 2013 situation is outlined by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and that outline augurs well for Guyana’s children. From international norms, domestic obligations and sector specific policies, the focus on Guyana’s children by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration can be well documented.
“Our compliance, with international treaty obligations, has been documented. Guyana’s commitments have all been revealed in submissions to the international HR Bodies and, particularly in 2010, in the Guyana Presentation of the UPR,” Luncheon informed.
He said, currently, the State’s response on corporal punishment is before the highest seat of decision-making in the land.
Domestically, the CCPA oversees the implementation of a modern, legislative environment guaranteeing child protection and meeting the State’s obligations with regard to children.
Luncheon said the Family Court, foster care and the absolutely new children’s home (thanks to Digicel) at Mahaica, all bear testimony to the Administration’s commitment.
“An expanding State bureaucracy in child welfare ensures compliance at home, school and at play. Allied with this is the contribution of the Constitutional Rights Commission on the rights of a child,” he added.