CHILD molesters and paedophiles can expect strict and uncompromising application of the law once convicted, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence has said.“This government does not care who you are or who you may know; the penalties will apply without fear or favour. Those found guilty of sexual offences against children must know that they will be incarcerated,” she said.

She made the remarks while declaring open a Child Advocacy Centre (CAC), the second of its kind in Guyana, at Fort Wellington Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) on Wednesday last.

The CAC is part of the Empowering Children in Difficult Circumstances (ECDC) Project funded by the European Union (EU) with an amount of EURO 200,000 under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

The EIDHR is a financing instrument that provides assistance for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide, and specifically aims at assisting civil society to become an effective force for political reform and defence of human rights.

The ECDC in Guyana project is being implemented by Child Link Inc., in partnership with the Human Services Ministry’s Childcare and Protection Agency and the Forward Guyana, with support from UNICEF and local donors.

Child Link Inc. is a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), established in 2009, and its mandate is to work with its partners towards achieving a Guyanese society in which every child has the right to grow up in a safe and secure family and community.

The guests at the opening ceremony of the CAC included Head of Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, Ambassador Jernej Videti.

During the opening ceremony, Minister Volda Lawrence noted that children’s rights are fundamental human rights that should be enjoyed by every child, and be protected by every adult. She observed that despite all the agreements signed and that are in place, many children are being sexually violated daily, and are then victimised over and over again by red tape and bureaucracy.

DECENTRALISATION
Minister Lawrence said the Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) in Region 5 signalled the decentralisation of a critical service.

“It will ease the tremendous burden of traumatised victims of sexual offences, as it takes away the duplicity of them having to relive the experience over and over again to every interested party. Most importantly, it provides a specialised environment and expertise to conduct forensic interviews with our young victims, who should really never have to endure the pain of repeating over and over the details of the heinous crime,” she said.

She lamented: “One cannot help but wonder why this was not done sooner.”

It was noted that the CAC will conduct one-stop forensic interviews with abused children.

“Under this system, children who have suffered abuse will be interviewed regarding their abuse just once, in this way avoiding having to recount their experience again and again to a number of different agencies,” the donor agency EU stated.

The CAC has a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, including law enforcement, child protection services, the Director of Public Prosecutions, mental health, and medical professionals.

Minister Lawrence said the CAC will not replace the work of the Child Care and Protection Agency.
That agency will continue to play a leading role in the investigative processes of child abuse cases reported throughout the country.
The CAC will just provide a hub of services for the children, she revealed.

She pledged to have the Social Protection Ministry work to have as many centres as possible, so that a child sexually abused anywhere could have access to one of the centres.

She reiterated that sexual molestation of a child is the most inhumane thing that could be done to any human being. “It leaves irreparable scars on that child,” she said. She urged parents and the community not to protect the predators “out of a desire to save them from embarrassment.”

“The safety and self-esteem of a child are more important than anyone’s embarrassment, inconvenience, or offence,” she declared.

Parents and guardians should also listen to their children, even though they may be busy; and they should encourage their children not to keep dark secrets, she said.

By Clifford Stanley