“Our children are being stigmatized”

Sep 28, 2008 News

– Community leader says Agricola Youths need help

Pastor Ivan John

By Jenelle Carter

In recent years, the community of Agricola has been branded as a haven for criminals. With last week being ‘Child Protection Week’, a grand rally was held in the community as the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and Every Child Guyana saw it fit to have children of that area involved in the related activities.

There is the strong opinion that the children in the community are being neglected and equally worrying, stigmatized, once it is known that they are from Agricola.

Speaking to Kaieteur News on the issue was Pastor Ivan John of the Open Door Bible Way Church, who pointed out that children and young people of the area have been branded for life and are living in fear like the children and youth of Lusignan and Bartica.

John said while the community is sympathetic with the residents of Lusignan and Bartica, both of which suffered from massacres, no interest is being shown to the children of Agricola.

As such, he said the churches of the community along with Every Child Guyana have teamed up and are doing phenomenal work with the youths of the East Bank of Demerara village.

According to John, even to this day children still ask if the gunmen are going to come back as they often recall the instance when gunmen brazenly stormed their neighbourhood and killed with impunity.

As such, the churches often hold sessions for children to deal with the trauma. In addition, John said, it is very difficult for youths who would have left schools to find jobs.

“What we find when these young people come and ask for a recommendation is that they literally beg you not to put their addresses as Agricola,” John explained.

“As if this is not enough for our youths to deal with, those who have decent jobs for one reason or the other are picked up, photographed and thrown into the lockups for days and have to be missing out days on their jobs,”

According to John, young men in the community can not be seen hanging out on the street corners.
He added that as a result of the treatment meted out to the young men in Agricola, many have expressed the view “is best we just join de criminals because we getting lock up fuh nothing at all”.

Meanwhile, as it relates to other social ills, John said the community leaders are coping with those in addition to the serious issue of HIV/AIDS among the youths.

“As church leaders it was a bit hard for us because we found it very difficult to be practical with young people but we were reminded that the times have indeed changed,” John said. He added that now the church is being more liberal about the issue.

He, however, called on other organizations to play a part in bringing back the youths of Agricola to “sound minds”. He recommend that counseling is necessary for the youths and the smaller children who are often placed in situations where they witness members of their families being arrested and taken away for lengthy periods.

“This is not healthy for our young people…the other day we had a situation where a young man was picked up by the police and taken to the Brickdam station and was beaten; up until now we still have to counsel that young man. He is traumatized by that experience.”

In the meantime, Pastor John and other community leaders have pledged their continuous support towards protecting the children and doing all they can to ensure they have as rewarding lives as possible.

John concluded that they have come a long way in the healing process but the journey is unfinished, and with the help of other organizations and the present administration, the youths of Agricola can be saved.

Latest News