There are many adjectives which can be used to describe one of the raging epidemics in Guyana by the name of “Incompetence”. Some of which are ‘rampant’, ‘weaponized’ and recently, there has been an addition of the word ‘fatal’. Unnervingly, we seem to be developing a culture where incompetence of the highest mind-boggling degree goes not only unpunished but unaddressed. Therefore with the passage of time, some new instance of incompetence takes the fore and the previous lesson goes unlearnt. In the handling of the case of Millie Miguel (may her young soul rest in peace), Edsel Murphy and his Law would be appalled.
According to reports, Miguel’s tragic story began when she confided in her school about being sexually abused. In response, the school promptly reported the abuse to the school counsellor, who in turn referred the case to the welfare authorities. This was the correct procedure. However, from there, the chain of action swiftly faltered. The welfare authorities failed to adequately assess the situation, mistakenly dismissing the report as anything other than a case of sexual abuse. Rather than categorizing it as abuse, the case was redirected to the Family Enhancement and Support Unit (FESU), a department that deals with a completely different set of circumstances, leaving Miguel in the very environment where her safety was at risk.
It was only after Miguel’s tragic passing that the public started to piece together the missteps. As the situation was thrust into the public eye, only then did those au fait with child care belatedly realize the case should have been referred to the Child Advocacy Centre (CAC)—a key unit for handling child abuse cases. But by then, the damage had been done. The police had never been called, no forensic interviews had been conducted, and the necessary legal and protective steps had not been taken. The lack of police involvement is particularly telling: Regional Commander 4C Ewart Wray confirmed that no police report had been filed about the sexual abuse allegations before Miguel’s death.
What is most alarming is that, according to SN sources, the welfare officer assigned to the case simply did not view the situation as involving sexual abuse. This seemingly innocuous misstep—a failure to classify the case correctly—had catastrophic consequences. The case never reached the Child Advocacy Centre, where police involvement would have been mandated and forensic procedures could have been followed. The officer’s failure to see the case for what it was, despite clear signs of abuse, meant that the very system designed to protect children failed Miguel in the most tragic way possible.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is now looking into the matter as a result of the magnitude of the public’s outcry at the handling of the case. Mr Blanhum’s statement indicated that a wider examination of the circumstances surrounding the death of this girl is under way, although many, including the public, are left questioning how much more could have been done before it was too late.
In a recent press conference, Minister of Human Services, Vindhya Persaud, acknowledged the situation and assured the public that an active investigation is ongoing, spearheaded by the Guyana Police Force. However, she stopped short of divulging any specifics, citing legal obligations to maintain confidentiality. While she did acknowledge the high caseloads facing social workers—an issue that undoubtedly contributed to the slow response and lack of adequate action—her remarks about the lack of sufficient staff only served to highlight the gravity of the problem. How many more children must suffer before real, actionable change takes place?
At the heart of this crisis is the question: Why hasn’t the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security done more to address these systemic issues? While we understand the tremendous pressure placed on child protection officers due to their heavy caseloads, the question remains: Why has the Ministry not made concerted efforts to hire more staff to alleviate the burden? The tragic death of Millie Miguel underscores a deeper failure—one that cannot simply be explained away by overworked officers or a lack of resources. There are enough qualified professionals in the field, yet the Ministry’s response appears to be woefully insufficient.
This is not simply a matter of a single oversight or a miscommunication—it is a failure on multiple levels of governance, and it cannot be dismissed. The systemic breakdown that led to Millie Miguel’s death is indicative of a broader issue within the child protection system, where incompetence is not only tolerated but seems to be embedded in the process. The fact that such a case could fall through the cracks with little to no accountability is both tragic and infuriating.
Millie Miguel’s death should serve as a wake-up call to the authorities to take meaningful action. What is needed now is not just an investigation, but an overhaul of the way child protection cases are handled. Without this, we are left with the grim reality that incompetence will continue to cost lives, and another child will become a statistic, forever memorialized by the system’s failure to protect them.
