Police will be targeted in awareness campaign -Manickchand

May 12, 2009 News

The Police will be targeted in the public awareness campaign slated by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to enlighten the general public to the provisions of the recently approved Childcare and Protection Bill.
She noted that the campaign would take the same form of the ‘Stamp it out Campaign’ but this time it is not for the soliciting of views for the Bill given that it has been a decade in drafting and that the Bill has already been approved.
She said that the necessity for the campaign is embedded in the fact that the successful enforcement will require the input from all and sundry hence the need to educate the populace on what exactly are criminal acts stipulated in the Bill as well as the accompanying penalties.
Following a short stint in a Parliamentary Select Committee, the Children Protection Bill was returned to the National Assembly and found consensus in its passage.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, who told the House that all must be involved to ensure that the provisions in the legislation are successfully implemented and enforced, successfully piloted the Bill.
According to Manickchand, everyone had his role to play in the protection of the nation’s children.
The Minister explained that the Bill is just one of five pieces of legislation aimed at ensuring the rights and protection of children, especially the vulnerable.
She said that for this year, children would be high on the agenda of the Ministry. The real work begins when the legislation is approved.
Under the Bill entitled Protection of Children Bill, a child will be deemed in need of protective intervention where he is at risk of being physically or emotionally harmed by the action or lack of appropriate action by his parent, guardian, person in whose care he is left or other persons living in or visiting the household; is at risk of being sexually or emotionally abused or exploited by a parent, guardian, person in whose care he is left or other persons living in or visiting the household.
Under the proposed legislation, a child means a person under the age of 18, whether born in or out of wedlock, who has never been married, and includes a stepchild or child adopted by law or a child of the family except that in the case where a child has special needs, that child shall be a child under this legislation, regardless of age.
The legislation provides that the Director and a social worker shall be responsible for assessing whether a child is in need of protective intervention when the information is received and sets out the duties of the Director or social worker after the assessment.
The Director under the Bill would be the Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency appointed by the Minister.
With the establishment of the Childcare and Protection Agency under a previously approved legislation, that body will be the primary body implementing the provisions Protection of Children Legislation.
As it relates to the awareness campaign, Manickchand told the House on Thursday last when it the legislation was approved with the amendments from the Committee, that the Ministry will be launching a countywide campaign geared at sensitising the public as to the provisions of the obligations that it places on the populace.
Manickchand used the opportunity last Thursday to point out that the Bill has been in draft format ever since the days when Indra Chandarpal was Human Services Minister.
The work was advanced further by Chandarpal’s successor, Bibi Shadick.
The legislation saw Guyana complying with all of the international conventions that it has signed on to with the United Nations.

Latest News

Police will be targeted in awareness campaign -Manickchand

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival returns for 19th edition

Louis 97, Athanaze 90 give West Indies slight...

Vladimir Woodroofe backs out of World...

Exciting Double-header bowls off today with...

YMCA and Hard Knocks battle for Futsal supremacy...

Sukhwa delighted to score most runs at GCB...

Features/Columnists

Let us not be silent witnesses!

Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all

Welcome, Mr. PM

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Police will be targeted in awareness campaign -Manickchand

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]