Latest update March 5th, 2026 12:35 AM
Welfare officers suspended for dragging schoolgirl through city bus park
(Kaieteur News) – Two officers attached to the Child Protection Agency (CPA) have been suspended after a video surfaced showing them dragging a schoolgirl through the Stabroek bus park, prompting intervention from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
A video of the incident surfaced on social media, showing the two officers dragging the girl who was clad in her school uniform. At one point, one of the officers held onto the girl’s hair as they dragged her. Persons at the bus park were heard registering their objections with the way the child was treated.
Sceengrab from the video showing the two CPA officers dragging the schoolgirl.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning confirmed that the matter was brought to her attention and immediate action was taken. “An appalling video of a school child being dragged by two officers of the Child Protection Agency has been brought to my attention,” the minister said.
She disclosed that the officers were suspended with immediate effect and that the Guyana Police Force has been called in to take further action. “They will be held accountable for their conduct which run counter to the values and operational procedures of the Child Protection Agency,” Persaud stated. Further, the Minister Persaud reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to child protection, adding, “Incidents such as this cannot and will not be tolerated.” The incident comes on the heels of the CPA being criticised for its handling of two recent tragedies involving children.
The CPA in recent weeks has been rounding students liming at city bus parks during school hours. The CPA, in partnership with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) early last month launched daily inspections targeting truancy at major transportation hubs. Youth mentorship programmes. Dubbed “Street Light Activity,” the initiative will see joint patrols at key routes including East/West, South, Lamaha and Kitty. Officers from the Stabroek Police Outpost, alongside CPA’s North and South district teams and Director Levine Gouveia, led the first sweep.
“Joint patrols were conducted along key public transportation points, including the East/West bus route, South bus route, Lamaha bus route, and the Kitty bus route,” the ministry had said in a statement on February 11, 2026.
During the first operation, 30 students were found loitering at bus parks during school hours. “Officers interacted with the students to verify school attendance, assess the circumstances surrounding their presence at the bus parks during instructional hours, and reinforce the importance of consistent school participation as a critical foundation for their development and future success,” the ministry stated. The ministry emphasised that the Street Light Activity will continue daily as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to safeguard children, encourage regular school attendance, and strengthen inter-agency collaboration in protecting the nation’s youth.
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Sir. Ronald Sanders
The GHK Lall Column
Weekend Cartoon
