Juvenile Justice Department Official wants even-handedness in application of the law

Deputy Director of the Juvenile Justice Programme Andre Josiah Gonsalves wants even-
handedness in the application of the law in Guyana which he feels lets many parents off the
hook.
Gonsalves was referring to the charge of wandering which sends many children to the New
Opportunity Corps (NOC) but which ignores delinquent parents.
He is “appalled to see that children are charged for wondering but the parents are never charged
for neglect”.
“Why is it that a child would be charged for wandering but they (the parents) are never charged
for neglect? Gonsalves queried. In Guyana, unfortunately, parents or guardians are “rarely
investigated for abuse or neglect,” the Deputy Director observed.
As Deputy Director, part of Gonsalves portfolio is crafting policies which must meet
international standards, especially dealing with management of human behaviour.
There are endemic attitudes among NOC staff which are challenging for Gonsalves.
“In intuitions like NOC there are some serious human-related challenges because of the amount
of years that persons were allowed or would have done things a certain way. It’s a major
challenge now to attempt at changing that,” he explained.
According to him, the NOC was originally established to be an open facility designed to have a
little paramilitary presence as it was important for discipline of the juvenile population. They
were also to be exposed to technical training by attending classes outside and inside of the camp,
Gonsalves said.
He said the NOC was created to reintegrate youths into mainstream society who may have gone
astray, but over time the system eroded.

“It took on an image based on popular comments, outbursts, ignorance, lack of understanding of
international instruments and a lack of understanding for humanity. If you go there you will see
the quiet room and while it’s no longer in existence according to them, their quiet room will
remind you about a 1600 AD setting where you put a slave that you wanted to bend and deal
with his attitude. I mention this to illustrate why the guidelines and rules are critically
important,” Gonsalves said.
Gonsalves, a human rights specialist, said his main objective is to ensure that children who run
afoul of the law are guaranteed protection of through the Juvenile Justice Programme.
“I bring the Human Rights element to the organisation…and this is not just the UNCRC but so
much more to our international obligation. We have the Havana rules, we have the Beijing rules,
I mean though they are rules which are a bit different from conventions, the UNCRC is a
conventions which Guyana signed on to with reservation,” he said.
Continuing he said: “The rights and interest of every child…are protected so that the juvenile
rights are not neglected or negated.”
The human rights activist foresees advancement, broadening and development through the
juvenile initiative.
His interest in the field was piqued as a staff member of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC)
because it exposed him to the vagaries of stigma and discrimination.
“The intent and spirit of the institution has not really blossomed so I was later invited to join the
Human Rights Commission which encompasses the Rights of the Child, Women , Gender and
Equality, indigenous people’s commission and the Human Rights,” he said.
“I must say that for a very long time I was the only Human Rights investigator here in Guyana
(doing work for the), Women and Gender (Commission). This, helped in broadening my scope,
understanding, reach and contact of my skills and experience,” Gonzalves explained.