Dear Editor,
Politics aside, children really are the future for our nation. It is for this reason that this story is particularly disturbing. When the Minister of Social Protection, but more importantly the Minister responsible for child care and protection, Volda Lawrence, was questioned by the media about the selection of the APNU+AFC candidate Winston Harding to stand in local government elections, despite his reported charges for child molestation offences she stated, “Do you think that me, the minister in charge of that [social protection], would have someone like that running? Do you think that the party would expose itself like that? We are aware of the situation but he was never charged.”
Even more disturbing the Minister further went on to say that the case was a “family issue”. Well it was reported that the APNU+AFC candidate was indeed charged several times for child molestation offences so these statements by the Minister indicate unequivocally that after nearly one year in her post as minister she is totally unfamiliar with and cheerfully unconcerned about the responsibilities of her portfolio.
In addition, Minister Lawrence’s laziness in failing at least to say she would take a moment to find out if indeed he had been charged with child molestation offences, especially since she took an oath to protect all the children of Guyana means very simply that she is unfit for the position she holds.
Furthermore, the statements must raise, by necessity, questions in the minds of the officers in the Child Protection Agency and other bodies charged with protecting children, about the competence of Minister Lawrence.
Finally, it is very disturbing that Minister Lawrence, who is a PNC member, is prepared to play politics with the execution of her ministerial duties towards the Guyanese people by failing to investigate these reports because Mr Harding is a member of the political party she represents.
The children of Guyana deserve better.
Yours faithfully,
Charles S Ramson, MP
