Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
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Rights of the Child Commission sworn in
President Bharrat Jagdeo with members of the Rights of the Child Commission after their swearing-in at the Office of the President, yesterday.
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday appointed 13 persons to serve on the Rights of the Child Commission, impressing upon them the importance of their task, since they “deal with the future of this country.”
The appointments came a day after three organisations picketed President Jagdeo’s office, calling for speedy implementation of laws to protect children against abuse. Among those who joined the protest was Vidyaratha Kissoon, who was yesterday sworn in as one of the Commissioners.
Speaking with reporters after he handed the 13 members their commission, President Jagdeo said that he was unaware of the protest outside his windows on Thursday until he saw the reports in yesterday’s newspapers.
The President described the protest as “cheap” saying those who protested knew the government had to take care of a busy Parliamentary agenda which included crucial security legislation, such as wire-tapping, (which was passed in mid-October last year).
Just after the 13 members were sworn in, the President listed a number of measures the government was taking to protect and care for children, including a number of new laws.
However, in listing these, he omitted mention of the Sexual Offences Act, which was of particular concern to the three organisations that picketed his office Red Thread, Help and Shelter and the Concerned Citizens of Guyana. Asked about this particular piece of legislation after the formal ceremony, President Jagdeo said that it was included on the list of legislations intended to protect the rights of children and is slated for priority action by the Government.
The Head of State pointed out that the Child Care and Protection Agency Bill and the Protection of Children’s Bill was passed Thursday in the National Assembly, while the Status of Children Bill and the Adoption of Children Bill will be debated in the House at its next sitting.
The President said that the Sexual Offences Bill is among several pieces of legislation already drafted or being drafted to deal with the protection of the rights of the child. These include the Child Care and Development Services Bill, the Custody and Maintenance Bill and the Juvenile Justice Bill.
Among the other Commissioners sworn in was Kwame McKoy, who works in the President’s Press and Public Affairs Department.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security nominated McKoy.
Apart from Kissoon and McKoy, the other Commissioners are Kaloutie Nauth and Yvonne Fox (representing Service organisations); Sarojanie Rambarran, Aleema Nasir, and Colleen Anthony (representing religious organisations); Marissa Massiah, Michelle Kalamandeen and Suelle Findlay-Williams (representing youth organisations) Sandra Hooper, Rosemary Benjamin-Noble (representing women’s organisations); Hyacinth Massay (other); Banmattie Ram from the Ministry of Education; Shirley Ferguson, representing the National Commission on the Rights of the Child.
The legislation that supports the setting up of the Rights of the Child Commission, stipulated that the Commission’s functions would be to promote initiatives that “reflect and enhance the well-being and rights of the child.”
The Commission is tasked with ensuring that the rights and interests of children are taken into account at all levels of Government, other public bodies and private organisations when decisions and policies affecting children are taken.
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