By Shauna Jemmott

AFTER receiving another complaint about a young girl being tied with a rope and led by a man along Haslington Public Road, East Coast Demerara Sunday morning, Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA) Director Ann Greene is calling on anyone with information to contact the government agency.Green received a report from a woman who observed the disturbing and strange sight while travelling along the East Coast Demerara public road in a vehicle.

The woman complained to the CPA that a man who appeared to be middle-aged walked along Haslington Public Road holding a coarse yellow rope which was tied around the young girl’s chest area.

The woman said it was similar to the appearance of someone carrying a donkey or a cow and she became disturbed as the child seemed terrified.

The girl of African descent appeared to be between 11 to 13 years old. She was wearing a dark-coloured knee-length dress and had short hair. The man, also of African descent, had a slightly rusty appearance as he held the rope with the child walking on his right side around 10:15 hours.

When the Guyana Chronicle spoke to Greene on Sunday, she said the agency is concerned that many Guyanese do not understand the extent and seriousness of child abuse and so they refuse to report cases.

She said anyone with information that could lead to the successful investigation into the matter should call the Child Protection Agency hotline at 227-0979 as soon as possible. She also assured that all calls will be confidential.

Green told the Guyana Chronicle that many times people are aware that children are being abused by relatives or someone else and do not report such matters.

She said the care and protection of Guyana’s children is everybody’s business, and every Guyanese who witness or hear of a suspected case of child abuse or exploitation should take action.

She pointed out that many people do not understand the effects of child abuse and while some may become concerned when a child suffers, to others it seems a normal occurrence and so they don’t report suspected cases.