Minister Sukhai: ‘No reports of sexual abuse or incest made to me’

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai said Wednesday that reports of domestic violence, sexual abuse, incest and other criminal activities in the hinterland have not been made directly to her.

“It has never been reported…  personally as a Minister engaging at the community level, publicly and privately,” Sukhai said.

She did not rule out that these crimes occur but said while they may exist; it was never brought to her attention.

She was addressing the media at an end-of year press conference at her ministry on Thomas Street, Georgetown recently.

“I work villages as often as I can and in every report that I conclude a visit, domestic violence, sexual abuse, incest and criminal, activities have not been reported,” she added.

The Minister acknowledged that even as persons may be dissuaded from speaking publicly about matters of this nature, she also avails herself to speaking with individuals personally.

Yet, these reports have not been made to her.

She said the ministry’s welfare department immediately forwards cases of a certain nature to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to ensure that the person affected is provided the greatest support.

“My welfare department, whenever any such case come up at our level, like teenage pregnancy, which obviously will be sexual abuse of a child, we immediately collaborate with the Ministry of Human Services to ensure that teenage mother is provided with the greatest of support,” Minister Sukhai explained.

She added: “We log in the case, we refer it to the ministry and we follow it through even after the birth, whether it’s a good birth or a bad birth. We also take care when the teenage child may pass through our system. If they don’t pass though us, they are retained by the Child Care section, but it’s very, very minimal.”

Further, she said the village Toshao is empowered and knows where and how to deal with such matters.

Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira has said that in recent years, Guyana has taken “concrete actions” to reduce violence against all women including migrants, sex workers and transgender persons, noting that Guyanese and foreigners are entitled to all protections and essential services.

Teixeira has pointed out that efforts by the government to manage gender-based violence include the establishment of 16 gender-based violence units in all regional police divisions.

The government has also been seeking to improve police expertise in investigating gender-based violence, and the enactment of new legislation to handle such cases.