Dear Editor,
In this still new year, there are several outstanding issues that Red Thread wishes to highlight, in the hope that the relevant authorities will continue to follow up. 2012 is not yet 2 months old and we are already looking at reports indicating that more than 23 children have been either sexually molested, physically assaulted by teachers, or missing from home. 2012 is not yet 2 months old and already five women have been murdered. Women in fear for their lives continue to be told by the police: “We don’t have transportation” or “… is only me in the station.” Women, men and children who need protection, support and information are still being frustrated and dismissed by the authorities designated to provide these services.
There continues to be a crisis of public confidence in the police which the political powers appear unwilling to address, so we are treated to defensiveness, attacks and silence. Anyone who followed the Sheema Mangar murder is left questioning whether the police have been lying to her mother for the last one-and-a-half years about the investigation. The accusation of rape against the Commissioner of Police and the reported defences put forward by him also raise important questions, at minimum, about his judgment, professionalism and abuse of his powers of high office.
Notwithstanding the police statistics of last year (as reported in the Chronicle of December 29 2011), indicating “79 killings of the domestic type,” the Minister of Human Services appears disinclined to take the necessary steps to activate and make real the protections offered by the Domestic Violence Act of 1996.
After the pomp and ceremony accompanying the assenting of the Sexual Offences Act 2010, we are still to see the training and other measures itemized in that law that were designed to make the prosecutions of rape charges more efficient. In fact it is not at all evident that the law is being implemented as yet. It is becoming increasingly clear that there is a gap in the administration of public affairs that permits the passing of laws, the articulation of policies and programmes and declarations of intent to improve the functioning of various institutions, but does not follow through to effective action to implement those laws, policies and programmes.
Whether we are concerned about police or courts or our schools, university and hospitals, we do not need more speeches and defensiveness. Nor do we need ad hoc ministerial interventions which serve mainly to highlight the absence of coordinated planning and clear procedures while undermining any possibility of public officers acting professionally. We need to see the implementation of systems and protocols which indicate clearly how officials are to act in various situations and which have built in checks and balances to reduce if not eliminate the possibility of individuals in the system – whether because of laziness, ignorance or corruption – subverting the intent of the laws.
We expect President Ramotar to address the 10th Parliament this week, and the parliamentary parties are discussing a range of issues outside of Parliament in something they have set up called the tripartite committee. We need to know why Guyana’s pensioners, teachers, and public servants are expected to survive on heavily taxed starvation remuneration, while billions of our tax dollars are being secretly committed to high risk vanity projects. We need some public disclosure about the technical capacity of the government to negotiate and manage the many high value contracts which are inadequately exposed in the media. We need to know how the growing public debt is being managed, and with what expertise. We need to know what technical expertise the tax reform committee is bringing to the table, and whether labour is represented.
All the parties in parliament have spoken about their deep concern for the safety of women, children and men. They have all spoken about their commitment to addressing corruption and poverty in Guyana.
Two months into 2012 and there seems to be little change and more of the same. If nothing else, we know knowledge is power. We are waiting to see if the tripartite committee will result in real public consultations and a parliament that manages the affairs of Guyana in the interest of all Guyanese. We demand an end to backroom discussions, surreptitious actions and secret deals. We deserve and expect more than palliative sound bites. It is our right to know how our tax dollars are being spent.
Yours faithfully,
Karen de Souza
Nicola Marcus
Wintress White
For Red Thread