Latest update January 10th, 2025 2:12 AM
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MOU inked to establish ‘One Stop Centre’
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), for the establishment of a ‘One Stop Centre’.
This is expected to shorten the lengthy process which is currently being followed by those seeking justice for abused children.
Kaieteur News understands that Guyana is the first country in the Caribbean and South America to undertake the opening of such a centre, and it would be the first of several to be opened here.
(From left) Chantalle Haynes, Ann Greene, and Kwame Gilbert sign the Memorandum of Understanding
The agreement was signed by Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ann Greene; Chantalle Haynes and Ayo Dalgety-Den of Forward Guyana; Parliamentarian and member of the Board of Directors for Child Link Incorporated, Reverend Kwame Gilbert; and Representative of UNICEF, Marianne Flach.
According to Ms. Greene, the centre is expected to bring together collaborative partners in child protection services and child advocacy for a coordinated response to better serve abused children and their families.
“It is a child-focused, facility-based programme, in which representatives from many disciplines, including law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim advocacy, work together to conduct interviews and make team decisions about investigation, treatment, management, and prosecution of child abuse cases.”
The centre will have an interview room where child protection agents will ask questions and other agents view and hear the interview from another room. The interview is also recorded and could be used as evidence in a case against the perpetrators.
It was noted that when the child is being interviewed in one room, the police, child care officers, welfare officers and other partners can stay in another room taking notes and even request that the interviewer ask pertinent questions that would benefit the investigations and thus prosecution.
The video and audio recording can further be used as evidence in court; the child may never have to see their attacker again, let alone speak of them.
The Director noted that this would allow for the victims to heal, instead of having to repeat their horrific experiences to various stakeholders.
Earlier this month, Ms. Greene introduced the ‘one-stop-centre’ initiative to childcare workers and police officers in the related field, during a workshop.
At that time, she had emphasised that ‘one-stop-centres’ would be a new tool in the battle to prevent crimes committed against children.
She had explained that too many times children are asked to repeat the details of crimes committed against them to various officers as the investigative and child recovery process occurs. This, she said, proved adverse for both the investigative process, the child’s recovery process and even the prosecution process.
It was explained that the centre will exist in the various communities and for this reason, community leaders, and other village heads will also be getting attention, and may even be trained in relation to the functioning of these centres.
“Again it is the essential partnership that we are looking for. It is a multi-disciplinary approach and everyone has to be sensitized to play their part,” Greene told Kaieteur News.
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