An 11-year-old child was among several girls that were picked up from a bar in Baramita, north west district on Saturday night following a visit by Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes and other high-level government officials, GINA said today.
Subsequently, the child was brought to Georgetown and an investigation is being launched into the matter. Broomes told GINA that the child is fully cooperating with Police, however; because it is a highly sensitive issue, the findings will not be publicised.
The child was seen in school on Friday when Minister Broomes along with Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams visited the community and engaged the students of the Baramita Primary School on education and Trafficking in Persons (TIP).
According to Broomes, the child is being kept in a safe home and the parents were contacted and are also aiding with investigations.
In responding to a call to sweep the community of Baramita, Broomes proceeded to conduct house to house visits, and met with parents who expressed concern about their teenage daughters being exploited.
Broomes, GINA said, explained that Cabinet has approved for her to work along with the Minister of Governance to address some of the issues in mining areas of which Baramita is one. It is for this reason; she will be on the ground tackling the issues of health and safety, child labour, and TIP.
GINA said that Broomes visited the bars in Baramita, and educated the owners about the laws that speak to the age of persons consuming alcohol. She said that if shop owners are caught selling alcohol to children then the law must take its course. The illegal shops located along Golden City (the backdam) have been served notices to remove by November 1.
Broomes disclosed that there was a five-year-old disabled child lying on the floor in a house clothes-less. She cannot walk or speak.
“The previous Government has failed the people of Baramita. They talk so much of the development of Amerindians, yet the people are suffering… Not even the Toshao himself knew that there is a child with disability in the village…I want to encourage families that if you have a child with a disability do not be ashamed, they are human beings and let us love them, see how best you can assist them and ensure they get the right medical attention,” Broomes said. She instructed the Toshao to provide a mattress for the child.
She said that the Coalition government will be placing a lot of emphasis on persons with disabilities. She added that the Minister of Public Health will be engaged on the matter to ensure that the child is properly examined and is provided with a wheel chair. She will also be reporting the matter to Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence to ensure that the child receives public assistance, and is provided with a hamper, GINA added.