Residents of the community of Aishalton in Region Nine have expressed concern over the recent reinstatement of a high ranking village leader who had been at the centre of allegations of sexual abuse and have called for the matter to be investigated by the authorities.
This newspaper had reported that in June last year, the residents of the village had written to the regional authorities at Lethem and alleged that the village leader had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl from the community.
Reports out of the area are that subsequent to the newspaper report, the issue was brought to the attention of the residents at a community general meeting where the village council was mandated to carry out investigations.
A team of three persons comprising a probation officer, a school welfare officer based in Lethem and the district education officer – central also visited the village and undertook investigations. However the team was unable to meet the parents of the child.
Attempts by this newspaper to contact Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ronald Harsawack for a comment on the matter were futile.
This newspaper was told that the findings of the investigation of the village council were presented to the community in October at an emergency meeting at which the village leader was invited to discuss the matter.
The man did not show up at the meeting, however, he informed the deputy Toshao of his intention to step down from his position. Reports are that the council and the community accepted the announcement and following demands made by the residents, the man submitted his resignation in writing.
Copies of the document and other paperwork relating to the affairs of the village where the matter is concerned were dispatched to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs and other regional offices. However, reports are that the issue took a sharp turn when the ruling party held a political rally in November in the area.
Aishalton residents told Stabroek News that the occasion was used to announce that the village leader still held his position on the village council and reports are that the man met several government officials prior to the announcement.
Immediately, the source said, the Aishalton village council was divided on the issue and villagers also denounced the situation. The man reportedly dispatched a letter to the village council soon after, in which he indicated that he was withdrawing his resignation. However, the council ignored the letter.
“The political interference was by this time obvious and heavy. PPP activists were doing house-to-house visits among their supporters,” a villager commented recently. He said the controversial official held several meetings, including a few attended by government officials and attempted to “convince those who were at his function to sign on to a letter which the council never saw”.
The village council’s final general meeting was held last Monday and the issue was once again brought to the fore. Reports are that without invitation, the regional chairman attended the meeting and according to this newspaper’s source, “after some explanations, discussions and debate” the residents were told that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry had taken a position on the matter and determined that the official should serve the remaining three months of his term in office .
The man was asked by the authorities to respond to the allegations made against him and “finally apologized for his wrongdoing”, this newspaper was told.
The residents have contended that the man appeared to be above the law and they pointed out that the Rights of the Child Commission and provisions within the Child Protection Act do not appear “applicable where he is concerned”. Reports are that the teenager at the centre of the matter is being targeted with demeaning comments by fellow students and persons in the area.
Meantime, the village official has been severely criticized by the council after he “only recently” provided the council with receipts and bills for expenses incurred to host the Amerindian Heritage Village celebrations in September 2011. “A lot of the receipts are questionable. Monies received towards this activity amounted to $3.3 million and was never shown to or spent by the council and again it seems that this will not be an issue,” according to a villager.
In September last year, the Education Ministry stated in a release that it was probing the alleged sexual abuse of Aishalton Secondary School students. Its statement came a day after a report in this newspaper about allegations of several abuses levelled at teachers was reported.
The ministry stated that acting Chief Schools Welfare Officer, Carol Melville, reported that Regional Education Officer, Urline Crandon, accompanied by an education officer and two policemen visited the Region Nine school to formally probe the matter. The ministry said it would have revealed the outcome of the visit in a subsequent release.
According to this newspaper’s report, one letter, sent in June by Aishalton residents to the REO and the Regional Education Officer (ReDO), referred to complaints “within the past several months” made by the parents of a 13-year-old student of the Aishalton Secondary School to the matron at the school’s dormitory and the district education officer’s office, after the girl was sexually assaulted by two senior male teachers at the secondary school.
The letter also stated that a senior village leader invited several boys to his home earlier this year and offered them “marijuana in return for sex”. The boys later related their encounter to their parents who became worried.
