Effective protection depends on collective vigilance at a community level

Mar 04, 2026 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

The tragic death of 14-year-old Aleena Preetam and the reported stabbing of 15-year-old Tiana Chapman have understandably shaken our nation and has personally shaken me. Any harm to a child—regardless of background—demands sober reflection, compassion, and accountability, free from partisan framing or political opportunism.

Guyana does, in fact, have a child protection framework designed at the policy level to prevent, detect, interrupt, and respond to the exploitation of minors. Our laws provide legal authority, investigative capacity, protective intervention, and coordinated services intended to safeguard a child’s physical safety, psychological well-being, and long-term development. The pressing question, however, is not whether a framework exists, but whether it is functioning at the level and consistency envisioned by its architects.

The Childcare and Protection Agency Act establishes the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) with clear authority to intervene in cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Similarly, the Sexual Offences Act criminalises sexual activity with minors (below 16 years) and provides investigative and prosecutorial pathways. These are substantive, enforceable statutes—not symbolic declarations. The national conversation must therefore center on implementation: Are these laws being applied consistently? Is there seamless coordination between the CPA and the Guyana Police Force and the Hospitals? Are reporting and investigative protocols operating as designed?

This is not a moment for blame, but for constructive reform. An urgent, calm, and coordinated national dialogue is required to strengthen what already exists and address areas of operational weakness.

In this regard, Guyana is fortunate to have principled and compassionate leadership committed to social development. Dr. Vindiya Persaud has consistently demonstrated a rare combination of empathy, administrative discipline, and forward-thinking vision in matters affecting women, children, and vulnerable communities. Her capacity as both a builder of systems and a healer of communities places her in a uniquely strong position to guide a comprehensive strengthening of our protective architecture.  We should put her to lead the required national conversation with all stakeholders to truly fix the challenge and this conversation has to be concluded with some haste; too many unnecessary deaths.  I have total confidence in her leadership and her work.

One reform worthy of consideration is the establishment of a specialised arm within the Guyana Police Force dedicated exclusively to crimes involving women and children. An instructive model can be found in India’s “Mahila Thana” (Women Police Stations). Policing in India is historically governed by the Police Act of 1861 and modern state reforms, under the policy oversight of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Within this structure, specialised stations staffed primarily by trained women officers focus on social crimes such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, and child exploitation.

These units receive focused training in victim-sensitive interviewing, investigative procedures in sexual offence, coordination with social services, and community outreach and they are trained in exclusive women populated and led training schools.  This is easy to fix.  By concentrating expertise in one division, the regular police structure remains responsible for general criminal matters while a dedicated unit ensures specialised attention to vulnerable victims who are children and women when it comes to crimes like child and women exploitation. A similar model in Guyana could enhance reporting confidence, strengthen investigative outcomes, and improve inter-agency coordination with the CPA, the Police and health services.

At the same time, we must acknowledge a broader societal responsibility. No child protection system anywhere in the world can intervene in circumstances that remain concealed and secretive. When child pregnancies are hidden within families; abuse is normalised.  When communities remain silent in cases of children and women exploitation, the system’s reach is inherently limited. Effective protection depends on collective vigilance at a community level following the principle “see something; say something”.

Strong child protection requires:

• Mandatory reporting compliance (meaning in abuse, even the neighbours can be charged for not reporting the exploitation)
• Public awareness and education (unfortunately the Guyana Police in its current construct – men led, cannot advance this cause effectively)
• Accessible and trusted complaint mechanisms (who better to speak to when you have been socially exploited than a mother/woman)
• Timely and professional investigation
• Adequate staffing and resources

If any of these links weaken, tragedies can occur—even within the presence of sound laws.

Guyana’s path forward is not to declare institutional collapse, but to refine, strengthen, and modernise our approach in line with global best practice. Countries with complex social challenges have improved outcomes through specialisation, training, and accountability. Here in Europe, with the increase in migration of non-Europeans (with their different social customs) into Europe, serious review had to be done and swiftly and the authorities especially in the Netherlands, did it competently. We can do the same. We are a small nation with immense potential. Every child represents not only a life to be protected, but a future to be cultivated. The loss or near-loss of any young life diminishes us all. Let us respond not with despair, but with disciplined reform, thoughtful leadership, and collective resolve.

Yes, we can fix this!

Sincerely,

Sasenarine Singh

---

• Aleena Preetam, Child Protection, Letters, political opportunism, Sasenarine Singh, Tiana Chapman

---