DISTURBING realities of death and social dysfunction within three hinterland communities are now being brought to the surface as fed-up residents readily complained to officials during a weekend visit to the North- West District.The officials were drawn from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, the Ministry of Social Protection and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO).
The mission which saw an outreach to residents of Port Kaituma, Arakaka and Baramita between Friday and Sunday last was pre-arranged by the GWMO as the organisation intensifies its fight against exploitation of women, while seeking to improve conditions for them in all sectors.
As a result of the complaints received, the GWMO dispatched a letter to Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock, underlining the challenges faced by the communities according to what was reported to the officials, a copy of which was made available to this publication.
Copies of that letter were also sent to Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and Welfare Coordinator in the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Ms. Welch.
DISTURBING REPORTS
Some disturbing complaints in the letter signed by GWMO President Urica Primus include those concerning a woman who recently had a caesarian delivery being raped by her husband, dragged into a yard and left to die, while several girls as young as 11 years old are common-law wives or pregnant mothers, while a man who is believed to be HIV positive has become a serial rapist, causing young girls within the community to live in fear.
Primus highlighted reports about children being exposed to an abusive man who had raped and dragged his wife into the yard, leaving her haemorrhaging there. The woman, who resides in an outlying area close to Port Kaituma, reportedly had a caesarian delivery recently and refused to give in to sexual advances by her husband. The man allegedly “forced her to have sexual intercourse with him,” according to reports and as a result she started to haemorrhage.
“She was dragged into the sun and left to die in the yard. Her three young children attempted to drag her back into the house and it was their cries that alerted neighbours of her plight. Unfortunately, by the time they were able to get her to “False Top” en route to Port Kaituma hospital, she died,” the report said.
The organisation became concerned for the lives of the couple’s children whom they said were robbed of the opportunity to even attend their mother’s funeral and was further left to dwell with the same man. However, their situation changed earlier this week as the grandmother and aunt of the children took custody of them.
Not Yet Arrested
Primus, however, expressed concern that the man still has not been arrested and charged even after reports were made. She also noted that the area also needs to be equipped with an ambulance to transport emergency cases speedily.
The GWMO President disclosed further that in the same district, a man who is suspected to be HIV positive has become a serial rapist,sexually abusing young girls. She said when the representatives enquired from the police about accusations levelled against the man, they became very defensive and showed signs of irresponsibility.
“When our [representatives] inquired about the matter, the CID officer replied by telling her, according to the Sexual Offences Act, they can hold a perpetrator for 72 hours before they can receive bail. When probed for the identity of the man, she was told that he has a reputed wife and grown children and his name cannot be disclosed.”
The organisation rejects a system in which perpetrators of such acts are protected and justice for victims is denied. Therefore, the organisation is calling on government to take urgent action since “the community is overwhelmed with fear, and this multiple offender walks free to continue his reign of terror.”
Moreover, there are a number of reported cases of girls below the age of consent being involved in sexual affairs with mostly older businessmen, who often bribe the victims, their parents or the police to escape prosecution. Girls as young as nine years old are found to be sexually active and “11 year olds are “living home” or are pregnant and no one is being held accountable, nothing is being done to deter the spread of this situation.”
Residents, she said, complained of police being “very ineffective” in executing their duties and are alleging that the lawmen accept bribes from criminals while victims cry for justice.
Citing the urgent need for the presence of welfare and probation officers in the area, she noted that the health institution there is in an unhealthy condition, and there is an inadequate supply of usable drugs, while comfortable beds are not available.
The police, she said further, also complained that their living quarters are “unlivable,” since the ceiling is falling and the back steps are falling apart.
In Arakaka there is also a high rate of school drop-outs and girls still in childhood are found “living home or pregnant.”
She said the community’s medical officer Dr Singh was very cooperative in providing information about some of the problems that affect the community, and pointed out that residents feel they are neglected since they receive little aid from government.
Meanwhile, in Baramita, young children accompany parents to night spots and become vulnerable after the adults get highly intoxicated. These children, she explained, eventually stay at home after being out late at nights and are too tired to attend school.
She said the remote village has a situation in which school uniforms have not yet been made available, resulting in children being unable attend school.
She further said on inquiry it was discovered that material was sent to the villages for the construction of uniforms, but the village officer has opted to withhold the material from skilled seamstresses in the area and has attempted to secure the services of a tailor from the coast at a price of $800 per uniform.
A group of women, she said, have called for government to provide sewing machines to employ their skills in constructing the uniforms at a cheaper price.
She said the medic within the community expressed a need “to sensitise communities on the necessities of healthcare, especially when it comes to pregnancy.”
The medic also reported that the cots on which maternal deliveries are performed have become blood-stained, since the institution is without padding and even though government authorities visited sometime back, the condition remain the same.
Workshops
Meanwhile members of the community have recommended that workshops to sensitise the public about the advantages of accessing proper healthcare and the other opportunities should be held and registrations of births be conducted within their communities, since there is an evident lack of birth certificates and pension books.
The organisation said it had received reports of trafficking in persons in the areas, but its plan was disrupted after a senior official within the district alerted businesses to shut their doors until the delegation had departed.

By Shauna Jemmott