–with launch of ‘Streetlight’ initiative

ACKNOWLEDGING the need for a more rigorous campaign to remove vulnerable and wandering children from the streets of Guyana, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Monday launched its “Streetlight” initiative.

“The streetlight project entails officers going out into the streets and picking up children who are on the streets. They will start that today [Monday],” Minister of Human Services and Social Security said during a simple launch of the exercise.

Dr Persaud said children who wander the streets are vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, accidents and other issues, and while the ministry has been working to remove those children from the streets, a much more rigorous campaign was needed.

To tackle the issue head on, the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), which will be spearheading the Streetlight initiative, will visit several known “hotspots” across Georgetown and other parts of the country.

Once children are picked up, the CPA will work with the parents or guardians of the minors to provide support so that those children could be properly integrated into society.

“We would have been doing it and we would have been working with parents for at least a year, but it’s an amplification of our efforts and with the complete understanding, once those children are picked up off the streets we get in touch with their parents and we work with the family to provide whatever is needed,” Dr Persaud said.

The minister said, however, that this is not a matter which could be addressed solely by the ministry, as a multi-stakeholder approach, which includes public participation, is needed to properly arrest the situation.

“It’s a collaborative effort between the ministry and the wider public to get into the habit of reporting, not dismissing and not feeding the issue by giving money and all those things because in the ambit of our law, it’s a crime,” Dr. Persaud said.

She added: “We want people to be aware of the law and we want repeat offenders, parents and caregivers who neglect their children or wilfully take their children on the street to engage in activities like begging to know that we will be taking a harsh stance.”

To this end, Assistant Director of CPA, Levine Gouveia, urged ranks of the GPF to play a more active role in removing vulnerable children from the streets.

“The Guyana Police Force, I’m imploring them to just work with the agency because sometimes it’s very disheartening to know that they just pass by, and the children are just there and some officers they are not taking it very seriously,” Gouveia said.

She added: “I’m imploring to them just report it to us, even if they just pick the children up just bring them to the agency.”

As per Guyana’s laws, parents or guardians could be charged if a child or children are found dwelling on the streets. It is also an offence to use children to solicit money, and persons could face a $200,000 fine or up to six months imprisonment for this and other related matters.