Secret Sexual Offenders’ Registry, Minister Persaud badly hurt

Jun 15, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

Hard Truths by GHK Lall

(Kaieteur News) – I commend Hon Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindya Persaud. She came before the public and faced the music on the decision to keep the sexual offenders’ registry (SOR) closed. It pains me, but commendations for Minister Persaud came to a dead stop afterwards. What’s the point of having a SOR, then hiding it? It is one secret too many. The minister knows it. It inspires that both Excellencies Ali and Jagdeo experienced a moment of sanity and said: out with a secret SOR. More on these two brave, illustrious Guyanese later, who found God and voice. What to think, though, of Minister Persaud’s decision to keep this furnace underground?

Minister Persaud got adventurous, somewhat daringly. International standards. Say what, honourable minister? I am struggling to recall the last time that the PPP Gov’t cared about such nuisances as international standards. Recall the EU recommendations from six years ago. Ignored. Trashed. Who is the biggest litterer, minister, but the government that messes with what is right, then drag those all over the place? For a development of more recent vintage, there’s the now dead as a doornail Stabroek News. International standards about press freedom and the place of an independent press didn’t matter too highly, if at all, in the consideration of Offices of the President and Prime Minister. Both offices have been reduced to that deliriously funny British comedy about the antics in politics: Yes, Minister, which was promoted to Yes, Prime Minister. Sometimes, I wonder if the same fate has not descended upon the main officeholders in Guyana.

Minister Persaud was in glorious form. “Over 60 civil society bodies” had a say in the resulting framework. Thanks. Did 60 such entities along with some faith-based organisations really come out in favour of an undercover SOR? Really? Guyanese would like to know their identities. Publish them. So that they can be recognised for their peculiar reasoning. And if the Roman Catholic Church in Guyana was a part of that close book support, I would have something to say, which few would like.

Who is the PPP Gov’t trying to protect? What of many from religious communities in relationships with underaged children? I point to others from the sheltered PPP elite. Explains why so many from one side of the demographic screamed their pain and shame.

When the identity of sexual offenders must be such a secret, then the public is exposed, communities are exposed, families are exposed. If the PPP Gov’t is comfortable hiding known sexual offenders in its Cabinet and Central Executive that is one awful. Whichever minister, male or female, is happy to have them as a neighbour, that is their business. Just don’t ask that same standard from the public. Just don’t extend special political protection (and expediency) into the public domain and endanger it.

From Minister Persaud’s own ministry came the shocking: 584 females under 16 years were impregnated. Since there were 584 of such female victims, there should be 584 Guyanese charged for statutory rape. Where are they? Why are they not charged and named in the media? Who is being protected and why? Who is involved, and is that part of why this sexual offenders’ registry has to be such a closely guarded secret?

To know is to be equipped. To be equipped is to be forewarned. To be forewarned is to be put in the best position to lookout for family and community. I fail to comprehend how Minister Persaud could find fault with that reasoning. The president may entertain such ideas, but then again, his exposure in the walks of life has been of a less demanding nature. Think of schooling as one such walk. I move on. Now that both president and vice president has walked back a secret SOR. Coming up later, the strange development of Drs. Ali, Jagdeo, listening to the people, actually hearing their fears, responding immediately. Minister Persaud gets thrown under the bus.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Dr. Vindya Persaud, GHK Lall, Sexual Offenders’ Registry

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