Dear Sir,

IS teenage pregnancy a part of the culture of the hinterland regions? In this case, culture refers to the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.

I was appalled to learn that Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine are the regions which are most affected by the high incidence of teenage pregnancy. The rate of teenage pregnancy recorded in three regions of the country has been found to be higher than the national rate, according to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud. It is evident that teenage pregnancy is widely accepted and facilitated within these regions.

According to the State of the World Population 2013 report, Guyana has the second highest rate of adolescent pregnancy in both the Caribbean and South America; with 97 out of every 1, 000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 giving birth. Notably, in the report, four out of every one hundred 15-year-olds are pregnant, also, 16 out of every 100 under-19s have already given birth.

Through my youth advocacy, I recently visited the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and met a promising young lady with great aspirations and confidence. The first question she asked was, “will you send me back to school?” Regrettably, I could not give her a direct answer but reassured her that with the help of the social worker she will be enrolled in a secondary school at the earliest possible time.

She related her circumstances which led to her pregnancy. The father of her child; is a 26-year-old miner who gives her a “small change” occasionally and aided her parents whenever the need arose. In dismay, I learnt then that this is normally acceptable in her region.

I am therefore calling on the Ministry of Public Health, Social Protection, Education and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to implement strategies to combat this growing phenomenon within the indigenous communities and give the young girls a “Chance to grow.” I was told “Once the price is right, they’ll do anything”; such atrocity! On both sides; the parents and perpetrators.

Admittedly, most of the girls are in need of financial assistance and will find various means to  satisfy those needs. However, this should not be it an invitation for adult men to have sex with underage girls, even if there is a need for financial assistance; it is statutory rape and the perpetrator can be prosecuted in a court of law.

Our girls are valuable, let’s make a collective effort and give them a chance to grow, gracefully.

Yours sincerely

Cindy Evans