THE heartbreaking death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge has cast a harsh light on the vulnerabilities in Guyana’s approach to missing persons and the urgent need for sweeping reform.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s announcement that international and regional experts will review all laws and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to missing persons is a necessary step, but it must be only the beginning of a much deeper transformation.

Adrianna’s case is a tragedy that has shocked the nation. Her body, pulled from a hotel pool a day after she had gone missing, is a stark reminder of the gaps in our systems — gaps that can mean the difference between life and death.
The autopsy, conducted by three globally acclaimed pathologists, confirmed that she had drowned and that there was no foul play. But the focus must be not on the manner of death but on the response mechanisms that failed to act on time to prevent it.
President Ali’s commitment to overhaul existing protocols, including the removal of the outdated 24-hour waiting period for missing person reports and the immediate issuance of a red alert for missing children, is a long-overdue modernisation of our policing standards.

These reforms, already reflected in new Guyana Police Force (GPF) SOPs, represent a step toward compassion and urgency in handling such cases. The emphasis on speedy action and national coordination is to be welcomed, but implementation and accountability are key.
The President’s call for greater empathy from within police ranks and a new communications strategy is equally significant.

During an era where misinformation can easily get around on social media, timely and accurate information from law enforcement is essential to maintaining the trust of the public and not keeping families in the dark at their most vulnerable moments. The GPF’s professionalism and integrity must be matched with open transparency and rigorous enforcement of these new protocols.

Furthermore, President Ali’s openness to public consultation is a welcome acknowledgment that real reform must be inclusive. The voices of families, child advocates, and community leaders must shape the future of our missing persons’ response system.
The proposed review of security measures at public facilities, like mandated cameras at pools, is a reasonable prevention strategy but should not be allowed to become a substitute for widespread training and resource allocation to first responders.

The passing of Adrianna Younge is a moment of national introspection. It is a call to action to policymakers, law enforcement officers and citizens everywhere. President Ali’s assurances are encouraging, but the true test of leadership would be in the swift and faithful implementation of these reforms. It is

only then that we can begin to regain public trust and no other family would have to suffer such a devastating loss due to systemic breakdown.
Guyana stands at a crossroad. Let Adrianna’s memory be the catalyst for a safer, more compassionate and more accountable system — one that protects our most vulnerable and honours the trust of the people it serves.