The three city constabulary ranks who were recently dismissed because they became pregnant were yesterday reinstated with immediate effect and the municipality has since decided that it will provide support services for women within its employ.
The decision came amidst a public outcry over what has been described as a violation of the women’s rights after a report on their plight was carried in Tuesday’s edition of Stabroek News.
Contacted, Town Clerk Royston King told Stabroek News that earlier in the day there was a meeting of himself, the mayor and the chief constable and there was an agreement that the women would be reinstated. “I instructed the Chief Constable that they should be reinstated”, King stressed.
A day earlier, the city constabulary had stood by its policy to sack constables who became pregnant during their two-year probationary period.
Petrula Anthony, one of the constabulary officers who was dismissed, when contacted yesterday said that she, her two colleagues and social activist Mark Benschop visited City Hall sometime after noon. She said that they were later told by the Town Clerk’s secretary that they have been reinstated and would have to return today for their letters.
The single mother of five told Stabroek News that she is satisfied with the development and “very much thankful”.
King said that the challenge now is to strike a good balance between the disruption of council services to citizens and protection of women’s rights. He continued that this present situation presents the council with an opportunity to review a policy which was applicable to the disciplined services that includes the city constabulary which was geared particularly for men.
King continued that now that women’s rights have become a central aspect of society, what has happened reveals a gap with those policies.
According to the Town Clerk, the situation with the three woman, presents the council with an opportunity to not only review the policies in place but also a chance to look at the provision of women’s support systems which includes counselling, family planning and other allied services. He said that these things will be geared to giving support to the women working within the council.
King stressed that whatever is done at the level of council and the municipality, the laws must be favourable to the protection of women’s rights.
On August 1st, Anthony was informed via letter that she had been dismissed with effect from August 3rd, 2015. At that time she would have already served one year, eleven months.
As explained on Tuesday by Constable Laurel Gittens, Superintendent of Training the standing order stipulates that during the probationary period of two years women should not become pregnant. She told Stabroek News that this has been clearly explained to female recruits.
At the moment there are 105 constables in the city constabulary and out of this figure two-thirds are female.
Minister in the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes has since directed the Chief Labour Officer and the ministry’s legal officer to examine the policy in place regarding pregnancy and to advise her on how best to remove it and several others that were not updated to reflect changes in human rights laws.
Similar policies exist within the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
