THE Ministry of Home Affairs has demanded an immediate retraction and correction of statements made in a recent media report concerning the Juvenile Holding Centre, describing the information as inaccurate and calling for a public apology from Member of Parliament Coretta McDonald.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry said the comments were made by McDonald during a news report broadcast by 9Newsbreak on Monday, September 7, and that it was necessary to correct what it described as several inaccuracies and place the relevant facts before the public.
The Ministry first clarified the role of the Juvenile Holding Centre, stressing that it accommodates children who are in conflict with the law and have been remanded there by an order of the court.
It said children are not placed at, or referred to, the facility by the Childcare and Protection Agency.
According to the Ministry, the Centre operates under established security and supervisory protocols intended to protect juveniles, staff and the wider public.
Juveniles remanded to the facility are not permitted to leave without the appropriate authorisation and supervision, while access to and departure from the Centre are strictly controlled, the Ministry said.
The Ministry also rejected any suggestion that the facility operates outside the framework established for the treatment and protection of children within the juvenile justice system.
It said the Juvenile Holding Centre is guided by the Juvenile Justice Act 2018 and Guyana’s international obligations relating to the rights and welfare of children, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Centre, it said, places emphasis on the custody, rehabilitation, education, health and welfare of juveniles in its care.
The Ministry further outlined a range of programmes available to juveniles at the facility as part of efforts to support rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society.
These include preparation for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), literacy programmes, technical and vocational training, life-skills programmes and structured recreational activities such as football and chess.
Juveniles also have access to trauma-informed therapeutic intervention provided by a qualified psychologist, as well as psychosocial support from certified social workers, the Ministry said.
A major concern for the Ministry, however, was the public disclosure of information relating to individual juveniles in circumstances that could make them identifiable.
It stressed that children who come into contact with the juvenile justice system are entitled to statutory protections regarding their identity, privacy and dignity.
As a result, the Ministry said it would not publicly comment on, confirm or deny the identity, placement or circumstances of any individual juvenile who is, or may be, involved in the juvenile justice system.
“The publication or dissemination of information concerning a juvenile must be approached with the highest degree of care,” the Ministry said, particularly where such information could directly or indirectly identify a child or reveal his or her involvement in the juvenile justice system.
The Ministry strongly condemned what it described as the dissemination of unverified or inaccurate information about the Juvenile Holding Centre and juveniles within the justice system.
It warned that such statements could mislead the public and undermine safeguards established to protect children.
The Ministry urged media organisations and public officials commenting on matters involving juveniles to exercise responsibility and due diligence and to verify information with the relevant authorities before publication or dissemination.
Against that background, the Ministry called for the immediate retraction and correction of the statements it considers inaccurate and requested a public apology from McDonald.
The Ministry said it remains committed to the proper administration of the juvenile justice system and to protecting the rights, welfare, privacy and dignity of every child who comes into contact with it.